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ATHLETIC 




HOW TO 

ORGANIZE 
A LEAGUE 

MANAGE 
A TEAM 

CAPTAIN COACH SCORE 
A TEAM A TEAM A GAME 

ARRANGE 
SIGNALS 

INCLUDING 

TECHNICAL 
TERMS OF 
BASE BALL 




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Base Ball Clubs. 



Spalding's Athletic Library 
Group I No. 231 



HOW TO 

ORGANIZE A LEAGUE 
MANAGE A TEAM 
CAPTAIN A TEAM 
COACH A TE A M 
SCORE A GAME 
ARRANGE SIGNALS 

AND 

Technical Terms of Base Ball 



BY J. E. WRAY 

ST. LOUIS 



PUBLISHED BY 

AMERICAN SPORTS PUBLISHING COMPANY 
45 Rose Street, New York 



n: 






Copyright, 1919 

BY 

American Sports Publishing Company 
New York 



©C1.A529581 

AUG 15 1919 



^ 



Contents 

PAGE 

How to Organize a League 5 

How to Manage a Team 17 

How to Captain a Team 32 

How to Coach 37 

Technical Terms of Base Ball 41 

Pitching 42 

Batting 47 

Fielding 54 

Base Eunning 57 

Umpiring 60 

General 61 

Base Ball Scoring Methods 64 

Signal Systems for Base Ball 70 

Equipment of a Base Ball Team 77 




BYRON BANCROFT JOHNSON, 
President American League; Member National Commission. 

Plioto by International Film Service. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRAKT. 



How to Organize a League 

Organization in base ball, as in business, is the keynote 
of success. Independent teams still flourish in small towns 
and play seasons that are successful from the standpoints 
of interest, municipal advertisement and finance as well. 
But the great tendency in all communities of sufficient 
population is to form leagues and play for a local cham- 
pionship, after which honors in the wider field of intercity 
or interstate competition may be sought. This is especially 
true of non-professional teams, with which, for the moment, 
let us deal. 

The groups from which such leagues are to be formed 
are immaterial. The requisite clubs may be supplied by 
business houses, schools, colleges, athletic clubs, Sunday 
Schools, or fraternal organizations. In assembling such 
leagues, care should be taken to group only harmonious 
elements. The following points should be borne in mind: 

1. Teams having a kindred origin take keenest interest 
in a league contest. For example, form your leagues 
of all mercantile clubs, all athletic club teams, all 
school teams, where possible. 

2. Only clubs averaging the same age as to the personnel 
of players or of a similar degree of experience can 
survive. 

3. Avoid racial or religious rivalry in making up your 
leagues. 

However, any community will easily sense when the 
teams selected are apt to prove congenial, and these points 
may be safely left to the promoters of the organization. 

Sometimes leagues may be formed under one roof, as is 
the case within some of the larger business corporations in 
various large population centers. In this case the problems 
of the promoters are greatly reduced, as in almost every 



6 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

instance the house welfare organization will appoint an 
executive, upon request, who will effect an organization of 
teams representing the various departments, and evolve a 
constitution and by-laws to govern the particular needs of 
the clubs involved. 

The growing popularity of leagues of this character 
seems to warrant the publishing here of a set of by-laws 
governing a league which has successfully conducted a 
campaign for the past four years. This league, which 
developed in one of our large cities, has operated under a 
house welfare organization which was generous enough to 
supply uniforms for its men and an athletic field for its 
games. Following are the few rules it has found sufficient 
to govern its operation and limited business: 

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THE BLANK 
ELECTRIC BASE BALL LEAGUE. 

Article 1. 
This league shall be known as the Blank Electric Municipal 
Base Ball League. 

Article 2. 

The salary of the umpires shall be $ per single game 

and $ per double game. Salary of official scorekeeper 

shall be per game played. 

Rule 1. 
All games shall be played on Saturday afternoons as per 
schedule, single games commencing at 3:30 o'clock, double- 
headers at 1 :30 o'clock. Umpire may grant an extension of 
fifteen minutes. If not ready to play then, offending team shall 
forfeit game. Team playing first game on Saturday must be 
off the field at 3 :30 oclock. 

Rule 2. 
No team shall play any person who is not employed by the 
Blank Electric Company, and who does not work in the depart- 
ments assigned to that team. Employes to be eligible as 
members of the base ball team must have been in the employ 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 7 

of the company at least one week, seven calendar days inter- 
vening between the date of employment and the first game in 
which they take part. A player who is transferred from a 
department after playing with that team shall remain with 
said team, unless written release is sent to the Secretary ; 
provided, however, that a player may be transferred under 
Muny ruling to another team at any time with the consent of 
all managers. 

Rule 3. 
An Advisory Board, consisting of Mr. Jones, Mr. Brown and 
Mr. Smith is hereby created. All transfers must be approved 
by the Advisory Board before a player is actually transferred. 

Rule 4. 
All games will be played under the rules adopted by the 
Committee. 

Rule 5. 
Postponed games may be played at the convenience of the 
teams interested ; provided, however, that the President of the 
league shall sanction same. 

Rule 6. 
The Spalding Official National League Ball must be used in 
all games. 

Rule 7. 
Copies of these rules shall be sent in duplicate to each team 
manager, who will sign one and return same to the Secretary. 

Rule 8. 
All complaints and protests against players or oflicials must 
be made in writing to the Secretary not more than three days 
after offense is said to have been committed. 

Rule 9. 
To be eligible to become a member of any team in this league 
each player must belong to Blank Athletic Association. 

The city in which this league operates has inaugurated a 
municipal base ball league which helps focus the league's 
interest. In this way : the victors in the house league are 
eligible to compete in elimination matches with the winners 
of other municipal divisional league titles, the final winner 



8 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

to be the city dHampion. A still further incentive is fur- 
nished by the fact that the city champion team is annually 
taken on trips to play the champions of other cities. Thus 
a keen zest is given to the entire season of this little six- 
club body, which originated under the roof of one business 
concern. Every player in it knows that he is working for 
a chance at the city title and a trip out of town. 

Wherever it is possible, it is recommended that inde- 
pendent leagues group themselves with other leagues under 
a common organization for an elimination and community 
championship series. The wider the scope of a league's 
opportunity, the keener the interest of the players. 

It will be noted in the foregoing by-laws that no refer- 
ence is made to amateur and professional. This was because 
the city municipal organization under which the league 
operates, has defined the distinction — and a very broad and 
liberal definition it is. 

Mercantile leagues are the easiest to organize, inasmuch 
as employers take aiiioft or less keen interest in the sport- 
ing activities of their employes and are always willing to 
assist financially and in other ways in the organization of 
teams and leagues. It keeps the men healthy in mind and 
body — a condition which is reflected in their increased 
working efficiency. 

Independent teams exist in almost every mercantile 
establishment, and the task of grouping them into a league 
is simple. Only a leader to start the movement is needed, 
after which the question of finance will be cared for by the 
mercantile establishments themselves, if necessary. How- 
ever, all organizations should stand on their own financial 
bottoms wherever this is. possible. Only a small individual 
contribution by each player will be found necessary. 

This form of organization, however, will need a more 
detailed set of governing rules, since it is not under the 
keen eye of a welfare association, whose benevolent control 
straightens out kinks and arguments. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 9 

A sample constitution for such a league is appended. 
It may be made applicable to almost any form of organiza- 
tion from mercantile to independent teams: 

INDEPENDENT AMATEUR BASE BALL LEAGUE 

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. 

ARTICLE I. 

NAME. 

This organization shall be known as the "Independent 
Amateur Base Ball League." 

ARTICLE II. 

OBJECT. 

The object of this league shall be to promote the game by 
clubs composing the league, to encourage respectability and 
gentlemanly conduct among the players, and eradicate rowdyism 
on the base ball field. 

ARTICLE III. 

MEMBERSHIP. 

Section 1. The membership of the league shall be composed 
of not more than eight clubs, and not less than six clubs. 

Sec. 2. Each club shall be entitled to one representative at 
all meetings, who shall vote on all matters which shall come 
up at the meetings. 

Sec. 3. Five representatives shall constitute a quorum, if an 
eight-club league ; while four representatives shall be a quorum 
if composed of six clubs. 

Sec. 4. No club shall be admitted into this league except 
uniformed clubs, and at least two-thirds of its players in any 
game must be fully uniformed. 

ARTICLE IV. 

OFFICERS. 

Section 1. The officers of the league shall be composed of 
President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secre- 
tary and Treasurer, to be elected at the meeting held in 
February of each year, and to hold office until their successors 
are elected and qualified. 

Sec. 2. The President shall preside at all meetings. He 
shall call special meetings at the request of three representa- 
tives. 



10 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

Sec. 3. Tlie Vice-Presidents shaU act in the same capacity of 
tlie President during his absence. 

Sec 4. The Secretary shall keep a record of the minutes of 
all meetings, attend to all correspondence, appoint score- 
keepers, Waterboys, attend to publicity of league, and perform 
such other duties as the Constitution and By-laws may provide. 
He shall receive a salary of fifty cents (50c) per game from 
each club. 

Sec. 5. The Treasurer shall receive all moneys of the league 
and deposit same in such trust company or bank as the league 
may direct. He shall pay all bills contracted by the league, 
and shall render a report of all receipts and disbursements at 
each meeting. 

Sec 6. The Secretary and Treasurer shall not participate 
as a player with any team in this league. 

ARTICLE V. 

GAMES. 

Section 1. A schedule of games to be played shall be adopted 
at the meeting in March, or as soon thereafter as is prac- 
ticable, which shall be carried out except as provided for. 

Sec 2. All first period games in case of double-headers 
shall be started promptly at 1 :30 o'clock, and shall continue 
until 3:30, or until at least seven (7) full innings have been 
played, provided weather permits. 

Sec 3. All second period games shall be started not later 
than ten minutes after first period teams have left the field, 
and shall continue until completed, unless called by the umpire 
on account of darkness, weather, or through objection of the 
Park Department. 

Sec 4. If rain or wet grounds interfere with starting of 
first period games, second period games shall automatically be 
called off on that grounds. 



ARTICLE VI. 

FUNDS. 

Section 1. Each club shall deposit with the Treasurer the 
sum of twenty-five dollars ($25.00), not later than February 
15, as a guarantee of good faith. Of this amount, two dollars 
and fifty cents ($2.50) shall be deducted for entry fee into 
Municipal Base Ball League, balance to be returned at end of 
season. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 11 

Sec. 2. Eacli club shall deposit with the Treasurer twenty- 
five dollars ($25.00) April the first, and on June 15, twenty 
dollars ($20.00). This is for expenses of the league, such as 
umpire, scorekeeper, Secretary, waterboy, etc. 

ARTICLE VII. 

Section 1. Any club leaving the field during the progress of 
a game shall be fined the sum of five dollars ($5.00), and 
be subject to expulsion, should the league so direct. 

Sec. 2. All protects of games shall be filed in writing with 
the Secretary not later than fifteen days after game is played. 

Sec. 3. Games shall not be protested on account of a player 
having played for a consideration without the manager's 
knowledge, provided the manager makes out a cworn affidavit 
to that effect. 

Sec 4. Managers having protest information shall Imme- 
diately pcesent same to umpire before start of game. 

Sec 5. All postponed games that have any bearing on 
standing of league must" be played when Arbitration Committee 
so directs. 

ARTICLE VIII. 

UMPIRES. 

Section 1. Umpires shall be appointed by the President, 
and shall receive for their services the sum of one dollar and 
fifty cents ($1.50) per game. 

ARTICLE IX. 

forfeiture. 

Section 1. Any club failing to deposit the money as pro- 
vided for in Article 6, Section 1, within the stipulated time, 
shall forfeit all rights to membership, and the clubs In good 
standing shall have power to fill such vacancies. 

Sec. 2. Any club failing to obey the provisions of the rules 
and regulations shall be expelled from the league, and shall 
forfeit all moneys deposited with the league. 

Sec. 3. Any dub voluntarily dropping out of the league 
shall forfeit all moneys deposited with the league. 

ARTICLE X. 

MEETINGS. 

Section 1. The regular meeting of the league shall be held 
on the first Tuesday of each month during the playing season. 



12 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

ARTICLE XI. 

ORDER OF BUSINESS. 

The regular order of business at meetings shall be : 

1. Roll call. 

2. Reading of minutes of previous meeting. 

3. Bills and communications. 

4. Reports of committees. 

5. Unfinished business. 

6. New business. 

7. Treasurer's report of receipts and disbursements. 

8. Remarks for good of league. 

9. Adjournment. 

ARTICLE XII. 

ARBITRATION. 

Section 1. An Arbitration Committee shall be composed of 
one representative from each team, and in case of tie vote, the 
President shall cast the deciding vote. 

ARTICLE XIII. 

BALL. 

Section 1. The Spalding Official National League Ball shall 
be the official ball. 

ARTICLE XIV. 

Section 1. This constitution and by-laws shall be in force 
immediately after their adoption, and shall be subject to a 
change at any regular meeting by two-thirds vote of those 
present. 

Sec. 2. This organization shall be subject to the rules of the 
National Commission. 

This constitution can be made to fit all conditions by a 
few alterations and will be found to cover practically all 
emergencies. Nevertheless, the success of any league is 
entirely up to the co-operation of team managers, captains 
and players, as well as the directors of the league. 

One of the great evils pertaining to the class of leagues 
developed under the conditions outlined above is the ten- 
dency toward seceet professionalization. Professionalism 
is all right in the open, where it is expected and acknowl- 
edged; but in organizations that are in the game merely 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 18 

for the sport;, secret professionalism is the speck that 
eventually destroys the peach. Men interested in clubs, 
perhaps employing some of the players, are the chief causes 
of this form of professionalism. Desiring to see the team 
they favor win, they secretly pay some of the more expert 
talent in violation of league rules, while the other clubs 
continue to play for glory. Again, say in mercantile 
leagues, the employer will reach out and hire a man of 
known exceptional base bal] ability, paying him a secret 
bonus to play ball in addition to his salary for working. 
This is an obvious injustice to teams which are observing 
the rules. It also tends to cause unrest among the less 
favored players of other teams. 

In one large city of the country this form of profession- 
alism exists to the point where some base ball players are 
paid more to play two games a week, Saturday and Sunday, 
than the}^ are for their entire week's daily labor. Yet the 
organization calls itself ^^amateur." 

Professional teams have a big place in the base ball of 
the country. Openly conducted as professional and semi- 
j)rofessional, they are a great boon to the fans, who desire 
to watch a higher grade of base ball playing than can be 
found among the "Simon pures." 

Organization of leagues like this becomes a complicated 
matter, one for a specialist. No novice should enter this 
field. Preferably it should be undertaken by a former pro- 
fessional base ball player or manager who knows his ground 
and difficulties involved. 

In forming a semi-professional or professional league, 
the first two points to be considered are : 

1. Population of the cities comprising the circuit. 

2. Cheapness of transportation facilities. 
Semi-professional leagues can seldom survive other than 

a trolley circuit, because of loss of time, hotel bills and 
railroad fare. Perhaps no better advice could be offered 
than that of Tim Murnane, an old ball player and himself 



14 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

an organizer of leagues and for many years chief executive 
officer of a Class A organization. Murnane epitomized 
the necessities of professional league promotion in the fol- 
lowing article, written before his death. He wrote: 

"If I were to organize another minor league to-morrow 
I would first, after selecting the cities for an eight-club 
league, name the eight men to manage the clubs. 

"These men would be old ball players with executive 
ability, and each would receive a certain percentage of 
stock in the club. I would have it arranged so that no 
club could remove its manager without the consent of the 
president of the league. This would give each manager 
confidence and contribute to continued earnest efforts, if 
his start happened to be discouraging. 

"My first advice would be to insist upon perfect order on 
the field and clean uniforms. Nothing influences popular 
opinion more certainly than the spick and span appearance 
of a club on the field. Nothing suggests slovenly base ball 
play more certainly than a slovenly personal appearance. 

"Gambling should be absolutely barred, and gambling 
among spectators as well as players punished or stopped. 

"Games should be called promptly ; there is little excuse 
for a nine-inning' contest enduring longer than two hours. 

"In general, I would recommend to the league promoters 
as worthy of consideration the following suggestions: 

1. Keep your circuit as compact as possible, while 
taking in the best base ball cities available. 

2. Have officers and a head who know the game and 
will insist on every one living up to the rules and 
regulations, and who will force managers and 
players to respect the umpires as representing the 
league. 

3. Select the class to which your population entitles 
you, and make every effort to stick within the sal- 
ary limit. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 15 

4. A fair sprinkling of experienced players with raw 
recruits will make the best combination. The 
young players should start at a modest salary, as 
for them it is everything to get a chance in organ- 
ized ball where those looking for talent will soon 
find the boys entitled to the substantial salaries. 

5. Live up to the rules, and force the press and pub- 
lic of your cities to realize that the league is a 
Substantial institution, bound to improve the weak 
spots, and respect the rights of the individual 
members. 

6. Pay all bills promptly, including advertising, and 
work in every way to gain the respect of the local 
public, which will find a well-handled base ball 
team one of the best methods of advertising a city. 

7. Insist on discipline among the players, for one bad 
peach will spoil a basket. Therefore, be on the 
alert to keep the players on their good behavior, as 
this counts more in the minor leagues and local 
teams than in the larger cities in the major 
leagues; but in all parts of the country it is the 
salvation of the game. 

8. Selfish players come from all sides, and, like the 
restless ones, must be guarded against. The pick 
of the players go to the big leagues, and a man- 
ager of a club should make it plain to his players 
that any of them worthy of advancement will 
receive his hearty co-operation. 

"For all minor leagues a salary limit is essential, and 
the observance of this limit is one of the vital features 
in the success of a league. It is just as important as the 
enforcement of the umpire's decision and the insistence 
on the payments of fines for dereliction in either play or 
deportment. 



18 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

"Each league must have officers at the head who are able 
to force proprietors, managers and players to live up to the 
laws in every particular. In other- words, men who con- 
sider the interests of the league above all else, and who, 
while holding office, hew to the line, with fair play for a 
watchword, and the closest regard for the good of the sport. 

"These officials must eliminate all personal interests, and 
the very man who will fight hardest to gain a point or a 
concession from the league will be the warmest admirer of 
the officials when he realizes that they enforce the laws of 
the league to the letter, and spell duty all the time with a 
capital D. 

"Therefore, when promoting a base ball league, the most 
important work on hand is the selection of an executive 
head who is well posted on base ball from all angles, politi - 
cal as well as from the standpoint of the magnates and 
players. A man who can mix up with the lovers of the 
sport and still have the adaptability to his executive posi- 
tion and the ability to lead at all times. 

"A poor executive can keep his league in hot water all 
the time, while an official with good judgment and back- 
bone will make the same league bloom like June roses. Men 
who have given up the idea of any connection with major 
leagues make the best controlling heads for the smaller 
organizations, for the reason that they are willing to bring 
out young players, and are not taken up with the cham- 
pionship idea at the expense of the salary limit. 

"The day never will come when minor leagues can live 
while ignoring the salary limits, for it means paying out 
more money than comes in at the gate ; and the millionaire, 
even, is not living who will stand being the loser for more 
than two years at most. 

"The safest man to control a minor league club below 
Class A is a retired ball player who wins out when his club 
does well financially. He will keep closer to the salary 
limit than the proprietor." 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 17 



How to Manage a Team 

(The following article, in substance, was contributed by the 
manager of a major league base ball club, a man whose 
judgment of ball players has given to the world at least three 
of its most brilliant players. For personal reasons, he does 
not wish his name mentioned.) 

A FEW "DONETS'' FOR NEW MANAGERS 

Don't "bawl out" a player on the field — or any other 
place. 

Don't forget to explain to each and every player the 
technical nature of a mistake he has made. 

Don't forget to be considerate in the way you do it. 

Don't lose your temper. 

Don't ever fine a player for making a misplay either of 
hand or judgment, if he's trying. 

Don't talk contract business with players, unless you 
liave to. 

Don't teach your players to '^bait" the umpire. 

Don't reproach a player for impulsive, honest protest 
against what he believes to be injustice. 

Don't hamper your men with too many rules of personal 
conduct — they breed sneaks. 

Don't forget that a vast majority of men respond to 
persuasion more readily than to force. 

Don't displace a player because he has two or three bad 
days. 

Prescribing a set formula or plan for managing a base 
ball club is fully as easy as "squaring the circle" or invent- 
ing perpetual motion. In other words, it is theoretically 
possible, but practically, impossible. 

When I speak of managing a base ball club I, of course, 
refer to a major league base ball club, since all other teams 



18 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRAKY. 

are handled on modifications of major league ideals or 
principles. I have had experience as a player, as scout and 
as manager of both college and major league teams, and 
feel that when I say there is no set rule for handling 
ANY TEAM, that I am qualified to speak authoritatively on 
the subject. 

In the first place, so many things enter the realm of club 
management, matters that concern the human equation 
quite as much as, or perhaps more than, the technical 
side, that nothing short of a perfect knowledge of tempera- 
mental and playing qualities of the entire squad would 
entitle anybody to lay down even one rule for the conduct 
of a club. Nevertheless, there are certain broad principles 
which every manager must keep in mind before he can 
begin putting his house in order and directing the play and 
tactics of his men intelligently. 

When a manager is assigned to a club and, to some 
degree, a strange set of players, he ought to have in mind 
several steps which he expects to take up progressively in 
turn, to wit: 

1. Thoroughly acquainting himself with the personnel 
of his players, their past performances, both techni- 
cally and temperamentally, and the keynote to their 
dispositions, if one exists. 

2. Establishing a thorough understanding with each 
individual and making a strong endeavor to com- 
mand their liking as well as respect and confidence. 

3. The establishment of reasonable conduct rules. 

4. The selection from the members of the squad of the 
most alert individuals, to whom may be delegated 
the important responsibility of assistants to the man- 
ager; in other words, coaches and a field captain. 

5. The development of a smooth-working machine in 
the field. 



SPALDING'S ATfiLETiO LIBRARY. 19^ 

It will be noted from the order in which the foregoing 
subjects are mentioned that the first steps to be taken are 
those which relate to gaining the confidence of the team 
and their earnest support. And right here it may be well 
to state that no machine will run long unless such an 
entente cordiale between players and manager exists. It is 
the sine qua non, the absolute essence of success, that a 
manager be able to get the whole-souled co-operation of his 
men. Without it, individual efficiency is lowered and the 
cohesion of the entire team threatened. One disaffected 
man may prove a canker to the entire team. 

My experience has shown me that, at the outset of his 
career, a manager's first objective should be the develop- 
ment of a team spirit. 

With this thought in mind, the manager takes his list of 
available material and studies its nature with respect to the 
temperament of his players. In any squad of men it is cer- 
tain there will be all sorts of dispositions, and right here is 
where the manager has to make of himself a greater diplo- 
mat than our representative to the court of St. James. For 
some men must be cajoled, some praised, some punished. 
The last should be resorted to only when patient effort has 
exhausted every means to win that player's interest and 
render him tractable. 

The fact that the teams of to-day are composed to a large 
degree of men of high caliber and considerable education 
makes the task of handling them less difficult than in for- 
mer days. In fact, a majority of players on any club are 
FOR the manager from the beginning; and it is only 
through some faux pas or lapse of diplomacy that the 
leader ever lets the men get out of hand. 

One of the most frequent causes of bitterness lies in the 
system which exists widely to-day of permitting the man- 
ager to arrange financial contracts with the players. Hag- 
gling over salary frequently leads to breaches beyond heal- 
ing, and in no infrequent number of cases forces the man- 



20 SPALDING'S ATSLETIO LIfiRAEf. 

ager, in the end, to trade a great player for a less able one. 
Wherever it is possible, contract agreements should be 
reached by the club president and not the manager. Ill- 
feeling is then directed away from the manager, who is 
relieved of the embarrassment of taking a large sum off a 
player's pay envelope and thereby incurring his dislike. 
Players will not sulk with a manager who does not hice 
them, because they esteem him one of themselves — jusc a 
liired man on a salary. Where a manager does hire his 
players, he will have to work out his own salvation through 
knowledge of the individual involved; for individual cases 
require different treatment. 

Presuming that he has signed up all the desirable talent 
that he figures he may have need of — in the case of a major 
league club this ought not to be over twenty-five men in 
early spring — and has become personally acquainted with 
the idiosyncrasies, hobbies and dispositions of the various 
players, the manager mu^r resort to the training season 
test of his men — all too short a test, if the men are entirely 
new to him. To a certain extent he is compelled to accept 
the dictum of the other officers of the clul) regarding the 
qualities of veterans and to focus his efforts on the analysis 
of his newer playing material. 

It is considered wise for any manager, building toward 
the future, to keep in hand a certain number of upcoming 
young men of promise, both for relief duty and for further 
seasoning. Under existing conditions it is hardly possible 
to maintain more than four extra young players, for the 
demands of regular play will require that each team have 
the following subdivision of regular talent : 

Pitchers — At least six. 
Catchers — At least three. 
Infielders — Five; six preferably. 
Outfielders — Four regulars. 



St»ALDlNG'S ATSLETIO tlfeRAEt. 21 

This is a grand total of eighteen, leaving room on the 
bench for only three reserve "prospects/' The necessities 
of pitching will require that at least two of these be 
pitchers, one right and one left-hander; a third should bj 
an infield utility substitute, while the other ought to be a 
man of pinch-hitting strength with an outfield leaning. 
When June rolls around, some such line-up of talent will 
have been effected in conformity with the league's player- 
limitations. 

Having weeded out his superfluous talent in training 
camp days, insofar as is possible, the manager then is up 
against the task of sounding his team to find out its bed- 
rock qualities and the special abilities which his players 
may be relied upon to show under pressure. The knowl- 
edge of individual ability to perform to top efficiency under 
stress is of the greatest importance to managers. The 
weaklings must be tabbed and every strain possible lifted 
from them. The Creator has provided that mankind, like 
animals, is produced in species, and the varying fundamen- 
tals of their natures can not be changed or standardized 
even by the utmost arts of a manager. You can not train 
a rabbit to walk up and bite a bulldog, nor can you cajole 
fighting spirit into a timorous nature. But, to a certain 
extent, a player can be educated into confidence in himself 
so that ordinary discouragements cease to affect his play- 
ing. This sort of player is a dangerous vessel, liable to 
break at any time under unexpected pressure; and the 
manager who knows his failing may frequently forestall 
disaster by withdrawing him from the fire at a critica) 
time. 

Right here it may be timely to say that the tendency of 
latter-day managers to pull players out of the game on the 
slightest sign of faltering seems to have been carried too 
far in some instances. Furthermore, the withdrawing of a 
player to make way for a hitter who swings from the oppo- 
site side of the plate, just to meet a shift of enemy pitchers, 
may also be carried to extremes. Some judges of base ball 



22 St»ALt)lNG»S ATSLETIO LlSJlAttt. 

hold that frequent withdrawals of pitchers and batters to 
make way for pinch performers weakens the morale of the 
player withdrawn and tends to make him lose his stubborn- 
ness, resisting power and self-reliance. But that does not 
necessarily follow. 

Having become acquainted with the disposition and play- 
ing abilities of his men, the manager proceeds to assemble 
the team, arranging it with due regard to balance in bat- 
ting, pitching, fielding and base running. Of course, where 
it is possible, at least two-thirds of the regulars will be 
seasoned and tested material, and the placing of these men 
will be a matter of course. The pitching department will 
receive the manager's first attention. It is the usual goal 
of every manager to have four pitchers of Al merit, to 
work in rotation. Reinforcing these, most major league 
teams have from three to seven extra players, some in the 
tryout stage, but generally three who are sufficiently 
advanced to act as stop-gaps in emergency. 

The manager will be likely to give his most earnest atten- 
tion to his battery department, for right here is where base 
ball teams are made or ruined. A manager may make a 
base ball club. By getting top efficiency out of every man, 
he may extract twenty-five per cent more from a mediocre 
team — enough to give it a margin over his rivals. 

But let this be understood : A strong pitching staff has 
won more pennants than strong managers have. For, after 
all, the most frequent winners are not necessarily the man- 
agers who are the best diplomats, the best tacticians or the 
greatest students of base ball; they are the leaders who 
through good fortune or good judgment have assembled 
surpassing pitchers. 

It is well known that a great pitcher, now dead, once 
declared pitching was "eighty per cent of the game." That 
may be high ; but it represents the broad fact that no team 
can get world's championship honors that does not first get 
world's championship pitching. Look it up and see. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 2S 

One of the greatest teams in the world, efficient in all 
departments and owning the master player of all time, Ty 
Cobb, failed to win a world's championship in three trials, 
simply because the enemy pitching outclassed its own. Had 
Detroit had four pitchers to rank with Mordecai Brown, it 
would likely have swamped the Cubs in the memorable 
days of Frank Chance, the "peerless leader." Chance did 
not have those wonderful pitchers with him, when he went 
to the New York Americans, later, and consequently his 
success in the metropolis was very limited. 

Managers, therefore, should strive to get together the 
greatest pitching staff possible — an average team, well 
handled, will do the rest. In the absence of topnotcK 
hurlers, much may be done to present a fighting front to 
stronger pitching opposition. With his mound staff of 
ordinary quality, the manager, balked of reinforcing this 
department of defense, turns his attention to the opposite 
feature of play — strengthening his attack. He gets 
together his strongest batting array and adds a heavy 
hitter, if possible, to make up for the lack of topnotch 
pitching. Batting can never quite be brought up to a point 
where it can offset good pitching, because there will be 
breaks in the sequence of good hitting that will prevent 
runs. But most managers contrive to have one good lead- 
off man, whose duty it is to get % first. The first three 
men should all be fast, good bunters, base-stealers and dar- 
ing men on the paths. They are the men who have the 
best chance to score early in the game, when a run weak- 
ens the morale of the foe and encourages your own pitcher. 
A lead makes vast difference in the fighting spirit of some 
teams. Hence the lead-off man must be a man who gets 
on frequently, either by drawing a base on balls, beating 
out infield hits or by clean singles. 

The stereotyped and logical play is, of course, to sacrifice 
the runner with a bunt, and the second man, therefore, 
MUST be an absolutely reliable hunter. No team, by the 



24 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

way, should ever neglect constant practice at this impor- 
tant batting function, for there is never telling when the 
batsmen will be called upon to "squeeze" in a runner with 
the winning or tieing tally. 

The manager will have to seek, for his third, fourth and 
fifth hitters, his cleanest and hardest sluggers. The third 
place man should be one who makes the most base hits 
annually; that is, hits of the type that would score a man 
from second base. Following him come the 42-centimeter 
"clean-up" men, the big stick boys who break up ball games 
with one swing of the club. Here is where the reliable hit- 
ters should be placed — men who love a crisis and who rise 
to their best when one presents itself. 

Following these, the hitting will depend on the man- 
ager's good or bad fortune in his last four batsmen. A 
hard-hitting catcher or a "Babe" Ruth pitcher is the salva- 
tion of a batting order, in that it prevents the usual innocu- 
ous, punch] ess finish to a rally started by the fifth place 
man. A team with second rate pitching, or one that lacks 
ENOUGH high-class pitchers, should have a batting punch 
throughout its make-up. 

It's easy enough for a manager to know what to do with 
good talent — his eeal problems arise when he is forced to 
nurse along weak or erratic players and obtain an even 
delivery of power from each cylinder of the motor, so to 
speak. The manager can at least help his men over their 
weaknesses, to a surprising degree, in spme instances. 

Take, for example, the pitching, which I must again 
remind you is where every manager's attention must be 
focused. Pitching can be greatly improved by a system of 
record keeping. I have a friend, a big league manager, who 
brought this to my attention through a system of his own, 
and it looked so good to me that I have since tried it 
myself. 

It has been the custom of this manager to keep on his 
bench a man whose duty it is to score every play made with 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 25 

reference to what each opposing team batter does to each 
ball delivered by members of his own pitching staff. This 
scoring shows in detail just what each batter did to each 
ball pitched. ]\Iy friend the manager brought to my atten- 
tion the record of one of his hurlers, a crack southpaw, 
against the Detroit Tigers. He pointed out how he had 
kept books on what the Detroit batters had done to his 
hurler during his first year in the American League. He 
showed me a chart, which had been compiled from the 
scores kept, according to which the pitcher could see at a 
glance just what Ty Cobb — I name him just as an example 
— had done to every ball pitched; what kind of a ball it 
was; whether Ty had struck at it, fouled it, hit safely 
against it, singled, doubled or tripled; to what field it was 
driven; whether it was a fly or ground ball — everything 
about it, in short. It also showed him, briefly, just what 
kind of pitching every member of the Detroit club failed 
to hit ! In other words, it was a chart of the Detroit bat- 
ting team's weaknesses against this pitcher. 

Then my friend the manager pointed to the result, the 
following season — this player had won nine out of ten 
games pitched against the Detroit team. He showed me 
other things which made me think hard. I have since 
grown to believe there is a great deal in his system. For 
a manager without surpassing pitching, some such help is 
necessary to bolster up the staff. Knowledge by the pitcher 
of the enemy's weak features against his own style of hurl- 
ing tends to give the mound man confidence and control. 

While on this topic of "control," I wish to mention a 
system that I have adopted of determining the value of my 
pitchers, or of new ones I am about to engage. 

I am firmly convinced that there are flaws in the "earned 
run" or "games won and lost" systems of estimating a 
pitcher's value. In neither case does the result take into 
account the assistance or lack of it rendered by teammates. 
In other words, there are other elements entering into the 



26 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

average ^^earned run" column that depreciate its value as 
indicating net pitching strength. 

I go to the record books to find out two elements about 
the past performances of my hurlers — the "bases on balls" 
and "strike-out" columns. Here are two points in which 
teammates have no bearing on the situation. The base on 
balls, hit batsmen and wild pitches directly indicate each 
pitcher's control or lack of it. Nothing his teammates can 
do will reduce or increase the total — it's just up to the 
man out there on the slab. By the same token, a strike-out 
is the only way in which his pitching effectiveness can be 
accurately attested. No teammate enters into the strike- 
out, as any catcher is good enough to mechanically receive 
a properly delivered ball. 

I have found that I can accurately depend for judgment 
of pitchers on their performance in these two respects. 
Whenever you find a pitcher with a low number of bases 
on balls charged to him and credited with an unusually 
large number of strike-outs, you have found a gem, a Koh- 
inoor. You can bank on it. 

Managers should not always take it for granted that, 
because players they find themselves in possession of have 
been "up" a year or two, they therefore must be left alone 
to play the game as they know it. I have found weaknesses 
that they can eradicate by a little practice. 

In fact, practice in those features wherein both individ- 
uals and team are weak is absolutely essential. In train- 
ing camp I emphasize this feature and, instead of letting 
players practice in things they excel at, I set them polish- 
ing up in points where they are deficient. Occasionally 
this polishing wins a few inches here or there, a run now 
and then, and occasionally a game. In the long run the 
"percentage," as between otherwise equal clubs will swing 
the pendulum — that this is absolutely a fact that can be 
relied on. Everything else being equal, for example, the 
team with the best stealers will win the pennant from its 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 27 

rivals. Thus it behooves the manager not to let his players 
practice at the things they already know, but at those they 
are not so effective in performing. 

At the training camp, too, it is proper for the manager 
to begin establishing those rules of conduct which are to 
shape the habits and aid the morale of the men for the 
entire season. This is important if the team gets into its 
stride; but it is still more important if the team starts 
poorly, when the tendency of players is to let everything 
slide and take to questionable amusements that will make 
them forget their failures. Such a lapse of good discipline 
might fatally affect a team which really was merely in the 
doldrums, not incapable. Lifting a team across despondent 
periods is one part of a manager's work and it is then that 
he needs all his spine — and a couple of able lieutenants on 
the team, a coach and a captain. 

The trainer or "doc" of a team, the veteran player who 
perhaps has been hired as coach, the field captain — all can 
be used to restrain a club's spirits from getting into the 
Slough of Despond. Helpful, cheerful pointers can be 
delivered by these trusties; and they will be received with 
good grace whenever a manager's fears that constant criti- 
cism and carping, coming from himself, would only further 
depress the spirits of his men. 

Charles Comiskey, the "Old Roman," was probably as 
successful a manager as the base ball world can recall. He 
has won league pennants and world's pennants for the past 
thirty years or more. He knew the game as a player, han- 
dled the team as captain, managed and captained the club, 
and later managed from the bench. As president of the 
White Sox, in his old age, even as president he has dom- 
inated his manager and has won a world's pennant. Comis- 
key's judgment, therefore, may be rightly esteemed. 

In his day as manager he laid down the following rules 
for his ovm guidance, and they might be reprinted with 



28 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

some advantage to those interested in the subject. Here 
they are: 

Make it as pleasant for the players as possible, 
for success comes from a united front, and players 
will often band together to make it unpleasant for 
a manager they find unreasonable, and often 
rough, with no knowledge of the game. 

Players never should be called down for mis- 
takes on the field; fines do no good, but, instead, 
cause the other players to sour on the manage- 
ment. 

Where a player fails to make good after a fair 
trial, get rid of the man in a diplomatic way ; for 
every player must pass on sooner or later, and 
each will note carefully the manager's style of 
doing business. 

Clever managers listen to the comments and 
reasonings of the players, thereby picking up val- 
uable information. 

Treat every player like a man, and never 
"knock" the most stupid man in the club. Quickly 
get rid of the failures, and treat the successes with 
the respect due a man filling his contract to the 
letter. 

The young players need encouragement, while 
the seasoned players care little for flattery. A 
good cigar will go further than a basket of cut 
flowers. 

See that every man pays his honest debts. 
Gambling should not be allowed. 

Intoxication during the playing season should 
mean expulsion. 

To be a good winner, a man should be a good 
loser. Confidence is everything with a ball team. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



I do not believe in "bawling out" players — that is, in 
angrily criticizing them — above all, not on the field. 
Criticism of the right kind, delivered in the right way, will 
be resented only rarely; and then by wrong-minded men 
you had better get rid of at the earliest possible moment. 
A player who doubts the wisdom of your tactics is amen- 
able to argument, and it is occasionally a manager's duty 
to take him aside and explain in detail as one man to 
another just where the mistake was made and what could 
be done to improve it. 

Never forget that it never helps a bonehead's intelligence 
to keep calling him "bonehead" — that merely angers or 
disconcerts him still more. But constant teaching can 
so instruct him as to make him automatically think the 
right play at the right time,. in most cases. 

Wherever there is a player who resents even fair criti- 
cism from his manager, if he can not be spared he should 
be handled by the coach, the captain, or some other lieu- 
tenant, in such a way as not to excite his suspicion that he 
is being criticized and coached at the same time. But, best 
of all, lay plans to get rid of him at the earliest possible 
opportunity. A sorehead on a team is exactly like a canker 
at the heart of a blossom. 

A manager is made by his players more often than the 
reverse. Occasionally, too, he may meet with success as a 
result of judicious choice of lieutenants. Numerous 
instances might be cited. A coach who can think should be 
on third base; and a field captain who has enough initia- 
tive to act without first stopping the game and consulting 
the manager is of great help. Plays come up when a wave 
of the hand to an outfielder or a word in the pitcher's ear, 
a reminder of a forgotten weakness, perhaps, may turn the 
tide and stop a rally. A field captain should be not only a 
man of experience, of even mental poise, but an alert 
thinker and, above all, a loyal supporter of the manager. 



30 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

Good team work between the manager, coach and captain 
is essential, it goes without saying. The difference between 
teams inspired by a Johnny Evers and those lacking such 
inspiration is sufficiently apparent to make the point self- 
evident. Clubs which are fortunate enough to have such a 
field captain are in the position of a club with a manager 
of the team on the field and another on the bench — that's 
what it amounts to. A manager who has not such an asset 
should take pains to develop, from among the squad, his 
most alert thinker, with the view of making him fill jusc 
such a need. 

As to ^^schemes of play,'' dismiss the idea that any set 
Jine of procedure exists that will fit all cases. With some 
teams the hit-and-run, the daring stuff, comes through 
amazingly ; with others, the old army game of "give me one 
run and I'll win the ball game" works out — the sacrifice 
and the squeeze. But, after all, systems of play are 
strictly up to the heavy artillery a team owns, its base run- 
ning strength and the enemy's pitching equipment. 

No instruction in "jockeying" can be laid down ; but, in 
the main, if a team is properly equipped it would do well 
to go forward with its regular rotation of pitchers. It may 
be noted that real good pitchers, like good batters, do just 
about as well in the long run whether their opposition is 
right or left handed. It is the off-color players who have 
right or left-handed weaknesses. 

A scheme of play alone never made a manager success- 
ful. Quick analysis of a situation and quick decision in 
meeting it, is what is required of any leader; no prescrip- 
tion can be laid down for that either. It's bred in the 
"bone" — which is not altogether meant as a joke. 

In fact, in thinking over what may be said that might be 
of value to any person who is about to assume a manager's 
responsibilities, there is not much of a positive nature that 
can be advised. For, after all, winning ball players win 
pennants, not "miracle" managers. And sometimes a scout 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 31 

does more for his club than the man who handles the team. 
In which I am reminded of the remark once made by Bill 
Dinneen, himself a great umpire and once a great pitcher, 
a world's champion, in fact: "If I had a team I would 
liave a $15,000 scout and a $5,000 manager,'^ he said. By 
which he mea^nt that the function of finding and accurately 
estimating good ball players was of greater value to a plub 
than the handling of the players on the field. And it is 
true, or has been, that more players have been developed 
in the minors than have been brought round to major 
league form after they have come up. 

My advice, therefore, to a manager, is to be his own 
scout, wherever it is possible; especially if he feels confi- 
dence in his own judgment. Summing it all up, I rate 
the factors which contribute to a winning ball club m the 
following order: 

1. Topnotch pitching. 

2. Extraordinary hitting ability. 

3. A fighting team spirit. 

4. Support of the fans. 

5. A good manager. 



32 SPAUJING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



How to Captain a Team 

The word ^^captain/' as applied to professional base ball 
teams, is a hang-over from bygone days. Time was when 
the captain was the director-general of a team's policy and 
the man to whom the players looked for advice, counsel, 
encouragement and, not infrequently, condemnation; and 
it was SOME condemnation in the early days of the game. 

In the past we had our Captain Comiskeys and Ansons, 
who were both leaders and managers, too. But the cap- 
tain as the czar of the team is a bygone institution. To-day, 
in professional circles, he is just a lieutenant — not a chief 
— carrying out the orders of his superior officer, the man- 
ager. 

Occasionally, on the field, the initiative is put up to him 
and he acts out of the ripeness of his own experience. 
Those moments occur when the unforeseen happens and 
the team's scheme of defensive play is faltering, and events 
are transpiring too rapidly for the needed consultation with 
the manager, on the bench. And it is here when the mod- 
ern captain has the opportunity to exercise his leadership 
and quick wit. 

In the minor leagues there still remain playing managers 
whose presence in the game renders the appointment of 
anything more than an acting- captain unnecessary; but in 
the major leagues they are all bench mentors. It is there- 
fore with the captain as a lieutenant to the manager that 
this article chiefly deals. 

Of course there are captains in the major leagues to-day 
who are entirely competent to be managers — some who have 
been, in fact. Where a club has such an asset it is indeed 
fortunate, especially if he is of the right kind. 

In general, however, when a manager is casting about 
for a field assistant, he analyzes his squad in quest of a 
man with the following characteristics : 



St^AtibiNG'S ATMLE'TIC tiBRARt. 33 

1. Proven high qualities as a player. 

2. Quick thinking. 

3. Even disposition; dispassionate mind. 

4. Complete knowledge of the rules and tricks of the 
game. 

5. Personal magnetism. 

6. Fighting spirit. 

Preferably the captain should be an infielder, although 
in a few instances outfielders have captained clubs. In 
general, however, these are too remote from the center of 
activity. The ideal person for a captain would be, of course, 
the catcher, before whose eyes the entire game unfolds at 
close range. It is he, too, who to a certain extent directs 
the destinies of the defense through his signals to the 
pitcher and to the basemen for throws. Unfortunately, 
the catcher may not be able to participate in more than 
three-fourths of the season's games and is, too, exception- 
ally subject to minor injuries that put him out of the game. 

An infielder, therefore, is the logical selection. Prefer- 
ably he should be a second baseman or a shortstop, the 
keystone of the diamond. Either of these men is at the 
hub of the defense, within talking distance of all his men 
and able to signal any one of them at any time. He is also 
close at hand when a protest on the rules is necessary or 
when an infield conference becomes imperative to devise 
new signals or impart special information to the pitcher. 

A captain is not captain if his manager does not give 
him a certain amount of latitude, as well as implicit confi- 
dence. When he names his deputy he should inform him 
as to exactly what sphere of action he expects his deputy 
to fill and just what are to be the limitations of his 
functions; 

Not the least of these responsibilities should be the 
keeping up of the morale of his players when the "breaks'' 
go the way of the enemy, as they inevitably will, at times. 



34 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRAKT. 

It is his duty to keep the wavering pitcher up to his top 
efficiency, when the manager signifies that he is not yet 
ready to bench the hurler. He should employ all the tactics 
permissible within the rules to enable his club to regain 
its poise, and should be quick to see and take up any over- 
sight in the finer points of the game that may redound to 
his team's advantage. One little point gained here and 
there at critical times serves to hearten the defense. A 
thorough knowledge of the rules, quickness to take advan- 
tage of them and courage to battle for the team's rights, 
are features that tend to make the players respect and look 
to the captain. And the team that has confidence in its 
field captain is very quick to regain its equilibrium when 
this has been upset by some untoward event in the contest. 

For the most part it is the captain's duty to address the 
umpire; but there are instances when the impulsiveness of 
the men is bound to break out into objections against the 
umpire's rulings. This occurs when the player feels that 
he has been offended against. No manager should call 
down a player of this sort — the mere evidence of his out- 
break tells him that here is one player whose heart is in 
the fray and who is trying. The captain, however, should 
step into the breach, before recrimination leads to the 
benching or fining of the player by the umpire, and argue 
the question coolly and on its merits. The captain, how- 
ever, as well as the manager, should discourage nagging of 
umpires on mere questions of the latter's judgment, from 
which there is seldom any successful appeal. 

The captain, being just a player himself, can serve his 
manager in an important way. Frequently the manager is 
unable to quickly sense the cause of a jarring note in his 
organization. The men are naturally secretive and protect 
each other when it's necessary. But the captain is one of 
them and it his duty not only to find out the little rifts in 
the lute, but to try and repair them. In case it is of a 
nature he cannot handle, he can properly advise the man- 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 86 

agment of the difficulty and let the "higher ups" iron out 
the wrinkle. 

The captain's great function, therefore, relates to one of 
the most important features of a team's success — that of 
keeping the men in good spirits, eager for success and in 
sympathy with the management. 

But his functions do not end there. The captain should 
be the man to size up the enemy's capabilities and to assist 
in the placing of the men to the best advantage. He should 
know the peculiarities of the men batting, their base 
running abilities, what field they hit to, what pitched ball 
they are weak on, and all details such as might be helpful ; 
for example, waving the outfielder further back or drawing 
him in, pulling the right fielder up behind the first baseman, 
or sending the center fielder back to the bulletin board. 

In the old days the captain made out the batting order 
and, in some cases, was responsible for the signing of 
players. In the smaller leagues this condition still prevails. 

When the club is at bat the captain's place, where no 
special coaches have been hired for the occasion, is on the 
coaching lines, as the coaching position is one that must 
be filled by a player who has the entire confidence of his 
men. A popular captain is the ideal coacher, although the 
necessity of his taking his turn at bat interferes with much 
of his work in this department. 

The captain to-day, in other words, may be either an 
important factor in the building of the team or he may be 
a mere figure-head. In the latter case he probably will be 
dominated by a bench manager of the type that wants to 
run the game in all its minute detail, even to ordering the 
defensive moves. 

It might be suggested that the manager who undertakes 
this is building against his own success. For his players 
become mere automatons, without thinking ability, and 
develop wry necks "rubbering" to the bench for instruc- 
tions, fearful to make moves in their own behalf on their 



^6 St^ALbiN^'S ATHLEi^IC LIBRARY. 

own initiative. Few managers have made this plan suc- 
cessful; most of them delegate some authority to the 
captain. In this way, when the manager is absent, there 
remains a capable director who enjoys the confidence of the 
team almost as much as does the paid bench leader. 

For the minor professional team there is no manager and 
the captain is the factor. Here is where the qualities of 
leadership should be paramount — when the choice is made. 

There is no rule that can be followed in the selection of a 
leader for an amateur team. Unless there is a player of 
outstanding ability, the organizers of the club would do 
well to put the choice of the leader to a team vote. Usually 
the right man will be chosen. Ball players sense a leader. 

However, popularity sometimes figures in the naming Oi 
a captain, and right here mistakes of considerable magni- 
tude develop — mistakes that may put a team on the down- 
ward path. Even major league managers sometimes cater 
to a player's popularity with his teammates in selecting 
him as a leader. 

But he is apt, in doing this, to forget that popularity is 
not always ability — or leadership ability, more particularly. 
Some players thus chosen, not being naturally of the stufl" 
that makes great captains, are so weighted down by a 
feeling of responsibility that they not only are not able to 
help out their own men, but they lose something of their 
own efficiency, through worry. 

Such happenings are the exception, however. As a 
general rule the man chosen as leader by a squad of twelve 
men is apt to have the qualities of leadership as well as of 
popularity. 

Captains chosen from the ranks sometimes have to 
combat the jealousy of at least part of their teammates 
who envy them the publicity and the advancement. And 
right here is where a little diplomacy will make the ob- 
jectors forget their grievance and work hard for the club's 
interest and, in the end, for the captain. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 87 



How to Coach 

Properly, the coach should be the manager, who knows 
best his own policies and scheme of play and who is most 
familiar with the possibilities of all his players. His mind 
is divorced from all playing responsibility and is not ren- 
dered timorous by fear of advising the wrong tactic. 

But frequently the manager is not able to take the 
coacher^s stand. In the major leagues the custom is 
growing of hiring a paid coach. This was the function of 
Jimmy Burke, when he was with the Detroit club, and of 
Kid Gleason with the White Sox, before he became manager 
of the team. The presence of such a factor on a base ball 
outfit relieves the manager of an additional strain and 
enables him to take an ex parte view of the contest as a 
whole and devote his attention to other features. 

A coach of this type is the ideal for. all ball clubs, 
although the lesser organizations can hardly afford such a 
luxury. Nevertheless, these paid specialists embody to the 
highest degree the qualities that any man attempting to 
coach should cultivate. All will agree that the prime 
requisites are: 

Thorough knowledge of the rules. 
Experience. 
,^ , ' Alertness of mind. 

J Confidence of the players. 

It has been the custom of most base ball clubs to send 
ANY player to the coaching line. In some cases this is 
excusable. It tends to develop coaching qualities in all 
the players. However, only a few coaches of this sort will 
have the confidence of the base-runners and the batters, 
and they are therefore a detriment rather than a help. 

The most important coaching position is at third base, 
since from this point the run is either made or lost. Runs 



38 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

depend on eyelash decisions at the plate and lightning 
quickness of mind on the part of the coach. 

Good base-runners are desirable coaches. Men on base 
then have regard for the superior knowledge of their adviser 
and will not be constantly watching the ball instead of the 
signal. The manager of the club should instruct all his 
players in this matter, and issue positive orders to follow 
coaching instructions and not the course of the ball hit. 
Time is lost and fatal indecision created when a player has 
to diagnose the play and make up his own mind as to the 
advisability of proceeding or turning back. 

The coach is of valuable assistance in instructing players 
as to the "leads" to be taken. He must be able to foresee 
the psychology of a tense situation; to tell when the oppos- 
ing pitcher is losing his morale and "grooving them" in 
order to regain control. His decisions frequently are 
matters of base ball intuition and are therefore not guided 
by rules. 

In general, however, a thorough knowledge of his players 
and of all angles of the game will beget this quick decision 
in the matter of ordering base-runners. 

Players are quick to sense indecision. Whenever a 
team's base-runners are observed to hesitate or turn their 
heads toward the play, set it down right there that base 
ball games are going to be lost by that club, through infe- 
rior coaching. 

A coach not infrequently profits through a ready ability 
to "chatter," to keep up a steady banter under cover of 
which he not infrequently, through a simple code, gives in- 
structions to the various participants in the attack. As a 
rule players should not be burdened with complex signals; 
but a few simple ones occasionally are useful in tipping off 
plays or battery weaknesses which will enable the runners 
to progress a base. 

Working in conjunction with the coaches, men on the 
bases are not infrequently able to detect the opposing 



SPALDJNG'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 39 

team's signals. While signal-stealing in base ball or any 
other game is not sportsmanlike, it is practiced still and 
occasionally wins a ball game, though not often. The 
utility of the signal to the side at bat is greatly exag- 
gerated, and in any case the code is quickly and easily 
changed by the defending side. Few coaches therefore 
waste time or permit their attention to the game to be 
diverted by efforts to gain the knowledge when the "fast 
one" or the curve is coming. 

The coach's knowledge of the batting peculiarities of 
his own side enables him to render aid to the batsmen on 
many occasions when he observes tactical weaknesses in the 
positions of the defensive players. His alertness of ob- 
servation may also lead to the detection of the enemy's 
plans for covering second base ; i. e., whether the shortstop 
or the second baseman is expected to cover in case of an 
infield drive. This information is of occasional value to 
the batsman, especially on the hit-and-run play. 

Coaching at first base is seldom necessary with players 
of experience. His conversation and fake instructions to 
the runner occasionally distract the pitcher's attention and 
make him waste his strength in futile throws to first to 
catch the runner napping. However, an alert big leaguer 
is seldom assisted by the coaching at first, although there 
are occasions, of course, when the player cannot waste time 
in watching a hit along the right field line, and the man 
giving instructions at first can guide the runner to some 
advantage. 

Jimmy Collins, one of the greatest and brainiest in- 
fielders the game has ever known, formerly manager of a 
great major league club, once summed up a coach's work 
as follows: 

"The base-runner never should be obliged, on a safe hit, 
to turn his head toward the play, but should come on at 
top speed, looking for his cue from the man on the coaching 
line. He should be always in a position to turn for the 



40 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBEAEY. 

home plate under full head of steam, and simply watch the 
coach for the signal to keep on going for home, or to 
stop altogether. 

^The loss of a fraction of a second will lose runs, games 
and championships, and all depends on the coaches on the 
lines if the players are trained to take their cues blindly 
from the men in a position to see all that is going on, 
wherever the ball is. 

"I have seen fine players make the poorest kind of 
coaches, as they have failed to calculate the speed of their 
own runners as well as the fielding and throwing ability of 
their opponents. 

"Good base-runners make the best coaches, and the best 
I ever saw, worked with signals and made little fuss or 
noise during their performances. 

"There should be as much time given to perfecting the 
coaching department of the game as to any other phase of 
team base ball. 

"When a man is running from first base, he should keep 
in touch with the coach at third, instead of being on the 
lookout for something his opponents are going to do with 
the ball. Moreover, he always should move exactly as 
he is instructed to do by the man on the lines. 

"Men often will remain close to second base, fearing the 
infielders who are playing far away from the sack. Slow 
runners must get a good start and take more advantage of 
their opportunities to score on safe hits handled by clever 
outfielders, and the men on the coaching lines should be 
obliged to not yell out instructions, but to work entirely 
through signals, either with their hands or caps. 

"It is a mistake to send up some one to coach who is not 
alive to the inside workings of the game, simply because 
the . regular coach is indifferent. A first-class coach at 
third base strengthens a team three to five per cent, and 
good men do not average two to a club in professional base 
ball/' 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 41 



Technical Terms of Base Ball 

Since the very inception of the game, base ball has been 
prolific of technical terms and phrases, but they have never 
been so numerous and distinct as they now are. Indeed, 
many of these base ball terms have become part and parcel 
of the phraseology of the period to quite a notable extent. 
For instance, the familiar term, "Play Ball," is now recog- 
nized as the synonym of a special effort to give earnestness 
to one's work, and to stop trifling with anything we under- 
take to do — "No more nonsense ; Play Ball." 

In writing up this chapter on "The Technical Terms of 
Base Ball," we do not present it as a mere vocabulary of 
the slang terms used in the game, as it is, in reality, a 
special chapter of instruction in all the points of play in 
base ball, besides which it includes explanations of the rules 
of the game. In fact, no one can read this chapter care- 
fully and studiously without becoming well posted in the 
important points of strategic play in the game, as much so 
as if he had made himself familiar with every section of 
the playing code of rules as contained in the latest edition 
of Spalding's Official Base Ball Guide. 

We have divided up the technical terms of Base Ball 
into the following classes: 

Technical Teems Applicable to — 
PITCHING (Page 42). 
BATTING (Page 47). 
FIELDING (Page 54). 
BASE RUNNING (Page 57). 
UMPIRING (Page 60), 

and 
GENERAL TECHNICAL TERMS (Page 61). 



42 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



Technical Terms Applicable to Pitching 

Balk. — ^This is a failure to deliver the ball to the bat legally, 
and there are nine different ways of committing a balk, as fol- 
lows: 

1. Any motion made by the pitcher while in position to 
deliver the ball to the bat without delivering it, or to throw to 
first base when occupied by a base-runner without completing 
the throw. 

2. Throwing the ball by the pitcher to any base to catch the 
base-runner without stepping directly toward such base in the 
act of making such throw. 

3. Any delivery of the ball to the bat by the pitcher while 
either foot is back of and not in contact with the pitcher's 
plate. 

4. Any delivery of the ball to the bat by the pitcher while 
he is not facing the batsman. 

5. Any motion in delivering the ball to the bat by the pitcher 
while not in the position defined by Rule 30. 

6. Holding of the ball by the pitcher so long as, in the opin- 
ion of the umpire, to unnecessarily delay the game. 

7. Making any motion to pitch while standing in his position 
without having the ball in his possession. 

8. Making any motion of the arm, shoulder, hip or body the 
pitcher habitually makes in his method of delivery, without 
immediately delivering the ball to the bat. 

9. Delivery of the ball to the bat when the catcher is stand- 
ing outside the lines of the catcher's position as defined in 
Rule 3. 

If the pitcher shall fail to comply with the requirements of 
any section of this rule, the umpire shall call a "balk." 

Battery. — ^The pitcher and catcher of the nine in the field are 
called the "battery" of the team. 

Battery Errors. — This class of errors is confined to wild 
pitches, bases on balls, and hitting batsmen with pitched balls, 
and to passed balls by the catcher. 

Called Balls. — The umpire is required by the rules to call a 
"ball" on every ball which the pitcher either fails to send in 
over the home base, or not within the legal range of the bats- 
man's knee and shoulder. The ball must be over the base and 
within range, or it becomes a called ball, and four such called 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 48 

balls give the batsman his base. To be within legal range the 
ball must pass below the line of the batsman's shoulder and 
above the line of his knee. 

Change of Pace. — This is done whenever the pitcher changes 
the speed of his delivery from fast to slow, or vice versa. But 
the change, to be useful, as a strategic point of play, must be 
thoroughly disguised from the batsman or all its effect is lost. 

Change of Pitchers. — This is done when the captain of the 
team finds that the delivery of his pitcher is being badly "pun- 
ished." Changing pitchers requires considerable judgment on 
the part of the captain, who should be quite sure that the bats- 
men are really "punishing" the pitcher, and that the fault is 
not that of poor field support of the pitching. In making a 
change, the succeeding pitcher should be one with a distinctly 
different method of delivery to that of his predecessor. 

When the umpire announces the pitcher prior to commence- 
ment of game, the player announced must pitch until the first 
batsman has either been put out or has reached first base. 

Chances Offered. — A chance for an "out" is offered the field 
side by the batsman whenever he hits the ball in the air. or on 
the ground within fair reach of the fielder. If the chance is 
accepted the fielder either gets the credit of a catcJi, or for 
assisting to put out a runner at a base, or for actually putting 
out such runner. 

Control. — This term refers to one of the essential points of 
first-class pitching, viz., thorough control of the ball in delivery, 
especially in giving direction to curved balls so as to send them 
over the plate. 

Curving the Ball— To be able to curve the ball in its delivery 
is one of the peculiarities of base ball pitching. The curves are 
produced by imparting a rotary motion to the ball as it leaves 
the hand. 

Cutting the Corners.— This term applies to the delivery of the 
ball by the pitcher in such way that it just passes over the 
corner of the home-plate. It is a difficult ball for the umpire 
to judge correctly, and a ball that it is impossible for the bats- 
man to judge. 

Drop Ball— This is one of the most effective balls of a stra- 
tegic pitcher's delivery, and it is the most diflicult curve to 
make ; the rotary motion given the ball causes it to fall, in the 
line of its delivery, just before reaching the base. 

Fair 5aZ?.— Rule 31 of the code says that "A fairly delivered 
ball is a ball pitched or thrown to the bat by the pitcher whilQ 



44 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

standing in his position and facing the batsman that passes 
over any portion of the home base, before touching the ground, 
not lower than the batsman's knee, nor higher than his shoul- 
der. For every such fairly delivered ball the umpire shall call 
one strike." 

Head WorTc. — This is a very comprehensive term and means 
a great deal in all field sports, but especially in base ball. 
Without "head work" in a player's methods, team work by the 
nine is out of the question. In pitching, "head work" means 
skill in strategic play in the position. 

Illegal Delivery. — ^This term belongs exclusively to the rule 
governing the pitching. An illegal delivery of the ball to the 
bat is made whenever the pitcher fails to have his pivot foot 
in direct contact with the rubber plate of his position, and such 
delivery gives the batsman his base on the balk thereby com- 
mitted. A similar balk, too, is made when the pitcher takes 
more than one step In his delivery and then throws the ball to 
the batsman. 

In-curve. — This is a ball which curves in towards the bats- 
man as he stands in his position. It is a more difiicult ball to 
judge than the out-curve. 

Otit-curve. — This is a ball which curves outward from the 
batsman, and it is the least difiicult of any of the curves to 
pitch. AVhen an out-curve ball is hit it generally goes to right 
field or right short. 

Pace. — This term applies solely to the speed of the ball in 
delivery, viz., a fast pace or a slow pace. 

Pitcher's Position. — ^This is defined by a rubber plate 24 
inches in length by 6 inches in width, with its front line dis- 
tant 60 feet 6 inches from the home plate. The pitcher, when 
in his legal position, must stand in accordance with the follow- 
ing rule (No. 30 of the Code of 1919) : 

"Preliminary to pitching, the pitcher shall take his position 
facing the batsman with both feet squarely on the ground and 
in front of the pitcher's plate or on top of the pitcher's plate ; 
and in the act of delivering the ball to the bat he must keep 
one foot in contact with the pitcher's plate defined in Rule 9. 
He shall not raise either foot until in the act of delivering the 
ball to the bat, nor make more than one step in such delivery." 

Pitching. — This term applies to the work of delivering the 
ball to the bat by the player appointed to fill the pitcher's posi- 
tion, and it includes the throwing of the ball to the bat, though 
the ball is not pitched, but thrown. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



45 



Punishing the Pitching.— The pitching is said to be "pun- 
ished" whenever the batsmen make base hits off it; but it is 
not punished when the field support fails to accept chances for 
outs off the pitching, and hits and runs are made after three 
such chances have been offered and not accepted. 

Range of Delivery. — This term applies to the legal range of 
delivery allowed the pitcher, viz., the space limited by the lines 
of the batsman's shoulder and that of his knee, between which 
two lines the ball must be delivered or the umpire must call a 
ball for every failure in such delivery. If the ball passes above 
the shoulder line, or below that of the knee, a ball must be 
called. 

Rising Ball. — ^This is another of the various curves used in 
pitching due to the rotary motion given the ball as it leaves 
the pitcher's hand, the latter causing the ball to rise just before 
reaching the batsman. 

Rmis Eartied Off the Pitching. — A run is earned off the 
pitcher every time a player readies home base by the aid of 
safe hits, sacrifice hits, stolen bases, bases on balls, hit bats- 
men, wild pitches and balks, before fielding chances have been 
offered to retire the side. The pitcher shall be given the benefit 
of doubt whenever fielding errors are made and in determining 
the base to which a runner should have been held with perfect 
support on part of fielders. A fielding error made by the pitcher 
shall be considered the same as any other fielding error. 

Slow Ball. — ^This term applies to slowly delivered curves, the 
most difficult to make effective of any of the curved line deliv- 
ery. But no ball is more eft'ective than a well-controlled slow 
"drop" ball. 

Spit Ball. — This is a method of imparting a rotary motion to 
the ball, when delivering it to the bat, in pitching, by the use 
of the saliva, so as to allow the ball to slip easily through the 
throwing hand, by which the ball is given an eccentric motion 
through the air, very puzzling to the batsman. The "spit" ball, 
however, is not only difficult to command in delivery, but it 
brings into play unused muscles of the arm. 

Straight Ball. — This term applies to balls which are delivered 
to the bat without any rotary motion having been given to 
the ball, and which are sent in over the base and within legal 
range. 

StriMng Out Opponents. — A pitcher is credited with striking 
out an opposing batsman whenever the latter is retired on 
called strikes, whether by being caught out on the fly after the 



46 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

third called strike, or thrown out at first base after such called 
strike. 

Unfair Ball. — This is a ball which is the reverse of a fair 
ball ; that is, a ball which is not sent in over the home base, or 
within the legal range ; and "balls" must be called on all unfair 
balls. 

Underhand Throw. — This is a ball thrown to the bat with 
the arm and hand swinging forward below the line of the 
pitcher's shoulder. 

Wild Pitch. — A ball thrown wildly out of the fair reach of 
the batsman, either to the right or left of his position, over his 
head, or close to the ground, is a wild pitch and a battery 
error, and no passed ball can be charged to the catcher on such 
wild pitched ball. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 47 



Technical ^Terms Applicable to Batting 

Base Hit. — A base is earned by a hit whenever the batsmaa 
hits the ball to the infield or outfield out of the legitimate 
reach of a fielder. A base is also earned by a hit ball which 
goes to the inflelder so swiftly that he is unable to field it to 
the base player in time for an out ; also, in the case of a swift 
line ball from the bat which the fielder is unable to hold on 
account of its speed. All such hits are base hits and earn bases. 

Bases ly Errors. — More bases are secured by the various 
errors of the field side than by any other means. The list of 
errors which yield bases are those known as fielding errors and 
those classed as "battery" errors. The former include dropped 
fly balls, wild throws — either overhead or on the bound — 
muffed and fumbled balls, and plain failures to judge balls 
offering easy chances for catches. The latter errors include 
wild pitches, bases on balls, pitched ball hitting batsmen, and 
balls passing the catcher on which bases are run. 

Bases on Balls. — ^The batsman is entitled to take one base 
every time the umpire calls "four balls," and also every base- 
runner who is thereby forced to leave the base he occupies. 

Batting for the Team. — This term applies whenever the bats- 
man strives by his hit to forward a base-runner, regardless of 
his individual record ; such, for instance, as in the case of mak- 
ing a "sacrifice" hit. 

Batsman's Position. — Rule 38, governing this position, is as 
follows : 

"Each player of the side at bat shall become the batsman 
and must take his position within the batsman's lines (as 
defined in Rule 8) in the order that his name appears in his 
team's batting list." 

Batting in Runners. — This is a marked feature of "team 
work at the bat." To forward base-runners is the object aimed 
at by every batsman who "plays for his side" in batting. He 
does this by striving his utmost for a base hit, and next to 
that his effort is to hit the ball so that, if it fails to earn a 
base, it will oblige the fielder to throw the striker out at first 
base, and thereby enable the runner on first to reach second 
base safely, this constituting a "sacrifice" hit. 

Bases on Balks. — Whenever the umpire calls a "balk," every 
occupant of a base — except the batsman — is entitled to take a 



48 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

base without being put out, whether the runner be forced off 
or not. 

Hit hy Pitched Ball. — The batsman is entitled to take a base 
whenever he is hit by a pitched ball, provided that he has 
tried to avoid being hit It matters not where the ball hits 
him, or if it only touches his clothing. 

Batsman a Base Runner. — ^The batsman becomes a base- 
runner: 1, instantly after he makes a fair hit; 2, instantly 
after "four balls" have been called by the umpire ; 3, instantly 
after "three strikes" have been declared by the umpire; 4, if, 
without making any attempt to strike at the ball, his person or 
clothing be hit by a pitched ball unless, in the opinion of the 
umpire, he plainly makes no effort to get out of the way of the 
pitched ball ; 5, if the catcher interfere with him in or prevent 
him from striking at a pitched ball ; 6, if a fair hit ball strike 
the person or clothing of the umpire or a base-runner on fair 
ground. 

Bounder. — This term applies to a ball sent from the bat to 
the field on the bound ; also, to a ball thrown on the bound by 
a fielder to a base player, in which latter case it is a wild 
throw and an error. 

Bunting the Ball. — ^A "bunt" hit is made when the batsman 
simply holds the bat up to meet the thrown ball, thereby allow- 
ing the ball to rebound from the bat to the ground. Rule 47 
thus describes a bunted ball: 

"A bunt hit is a legally batted ball, not swung at, but met 
with the bat and tapped slowly within the infield by the bats- 
man. If the attempt to bunt result in a foul not legally 
caught, a strike shall be called by the umpire." 

Clean Hits. — A clean hit is made when there is no possible 
chance offered the fielders either for a catch or otherwise retire 
the batsman, after he has hit the ball. 

Clean Home Run. — ^This is made only when the ball is hit 
outside the legal boundaries of the field so far to deep outfield 
as to prevent its being fielded to the infield before the runner 
reaches the home base. 

Confidence in Hitting. — No batsman can achieve success in 
his position who lacks confidence in facing the opposing pitcher. 
Confidence is half the battle in a contest. If he goes in to the 
bat feeling doubtful of his ability to punish the pitching, or is 
likely to be intimidated by the mere speed of the delivery he 
faces, he will fail in his batting nine times out of ten. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. .49 

Grass Cutter.— This term is applied to a ball hit along the 
ground without bounding, cutting the grass, as it were, as it 
proceeds. 

Earned Runs. — See Rule 85, section 11. 

Fair Hit Ball.~Ri\le 44 thus defines a fair hit ball : 

"A fair hit is a legally batted ball that settles on fair ground 
between home and first base or between home and third base 
or that is on fair ground when bounding to the outfield past 
first or third base or that first falls on fair territory beyond 
first or third base, or that, while on or over fair ground, 
touches the person of the umpire or a player." 

Failing to Take Position. — Every batsman should remember 
the order of batting, and be in readiness, bat in hand, to take 
his position at the bat when called upon by the umpire, prior 
to which he must be seated on the bench. Should he forget the 
order and allow a succeeding batsman to take his place, and 
the error be not discovered before a ball has been struck at, 
the batsman who failed to bat in his turn is out. 

A Foul Hit Ball—Uiile 45 thus defines a foul hit ball: 

"A foul hit is a legally batted ball that settles on foul terri- 
tory between home and first base or home and third base, or 
that bounds past first or third base on foul territory or that 
falls on foul territory beyond first or third base or, while on 
or over foul ground, touches the person of the umpire or a 
player." 

Rule 46 states that a "foul tip" is a ball batted by the bats- 
man while standing within the lines of his position, that goes 
sharp and direct from the bat to the catcher's hands and is 
legally caught. 

Foul Strike. — This strike is made whenever the batsman 
strikes at the ball while he is standing outside the lines of his 
position, if only with one foot. 

But there is a "foul strike" included in the list of "called 
strikes" which is of exceptional character, and it will be found 
in Rule 49, Sec. 3, as follows : 

"Sec. 3. A foul hit ball not caught on the fly unless the bats- 
man has two strikes." 

Force Hit. — A "force hit" is made when the batted ball is 
sent to the field in such a way as to enable a fielder to put out 
the runner who is forced to leave the base he occupied at the 
time the ball was hit, and who, by the hit of the batsman, has 
been obliged to vacate his base. It is possible to make a triple 



50 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

play on three force-outs when a fair hit is made while all three 
of the bases are occupied. 

Fungo Hits. — The weakest batting is shown when the bats- 
man indulges in "fungo" hitting, or hitting the ball in the air 
to the outfield and giving easy chances for catches. "Fungo" 
hitting, too, is done when the bastman takes a ball in hand., 
and tossing it up, hits it to the outfield as it falls. It is the 
worst kind of batting practice on that account, as it is the 
reverse of hitting at a ball thrown to the bat horizontally. 

Homer. — This is the term applied to a "home run" hit. It is 
the most costly hit made, as it involves the fatigue of running 
120 yards at the utmost speed, a severe test of strength and 
wind. 

High Ball. — Balls hit high in the air almost invariably yield 
easy chances for catches, and, therefore, are samples of weak 
batting. A "high ball," too, is one pitched above the batsman's 
shoulder. 

Hit and, Run. — (See technical terms applicable to base run- 
ning.) 

Hot Ball. — A ball is said to be a "hot one" which is hit to a 
fielder, either on the fly or on the bound, so swiftly that it is 
next to impossible to hold it. Hence the scoring vernacular : 
"Too hot to handle." In all such cases a "base hit" should be 
credited to the batsman. 

Long High Balls. — High balls hit to long field invariably 
yield chances for catches, and all such hits show weak batting, 
while long low liners yield base hits and earn bases. 

Low Ball. — This is a ball sent to the bat below the line of 
the batsman's knee, and every such ball must be called a 
"baU." 

One, Two, Three Out. — ^This term applies to the retirement 
of three batsmen in the order of their going to the bat. It is 
sometimes done on three or four pitched balls. 

Out of Form, — A batsman is said to be "out of form" for 
hitting when, after waiting impatiently for a good ball within 
fair reach, he temporarily fails to be ready to hit a good ball 
when it comes over the plate and within legal range. In such 
a case he becomes an easy victim for a strategic pitcher. 

Order of Batting. — Before a game begins, the order of the 
players of each side going to the bat is written down in the 
score book of the official scorer of the home club, and also 
printed or written on the score card, and it includes the names 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



51 



of the nine players of each side, who are to go to the bat in 
the order named. The order is thus named in Rule 39, as 

follows : 

"The batting order of each team must be on the score card 
and must be delivered before the game by its captain to the 
umpire at the home plate, who shall submit it to the inspection 
of the captain of the other side. The batting order delivered 
to the umpire must be followed throughout the game unless a 
player be substituted for another, in which case the substitute 
must take the place in the batting order of the retired player." 

After the first inning, the first striker in each inning shall 
be the batsman whose name follows that of the last man who 
had completed his turn — time at bat — in the preceding inning. 

The order of batting cannot be changed after the umpire has 
called "play." If a batsman is injured so as to necessitate his 
retirement from play, or if he be ordered out of the game by 
the umpire and he is replaced by a substitute player, his suc- 
cessor in the game must bat in the order of the retiring player. 

Placing a Ball. — This is one of the most difficult things a 
batsman has to do. Any mere novice at the bat can make a 
chance hit, but to hit the ball so as to send it to any desired 
part of the field — in other words, to "place the ball" — is the 
most skillful hit a batsman can make, as it requires keen 
sight, coolness and nerve in judging the swiftly thrown ball, 
together with lots of practice, to excel in place hitting. It can 
be done, however, and against good pitching, too ; but no mere 
chance hitter can do it. A batsman who cannot place a ball is 
nothing but a mere machine batsman, and knows nothing of 
scientific batting or of team work at the bat. 

Popping Up. — There is a great difference between "a popped- 
up fly ball" from the bat, which affords an easy chance for a 
catch, and a ball hit in the air by a tap from the bat, which 
goes safely over the heads of the infielders, and yet is too short 
for the outfielders to give them a chance for a catch. The for- 
mer is a weak chance hit. while the latter is a well-placed ball, 
always yielding an earned base. 

Record Batting. — A batsman who devotes his whole atten- 
tion to batting for a high average of base hits, regardless of 
any efforts to forward base-runners by his batting, is a mere 
record batsman, who knows or cares nothing of doing "team 
work at the bat." On the other hand, the batsman who goes 
in for "batting for the side," and who leads by forwarding run- 
ners by his hits, is the batsman par excellence, and not he who 
leads io base hit averages. In Spalding's Official Base Ball 



62 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

Record, which contains in its statistical pages the batting aver- 
ages of the professional batsmen of America, in a large major- 
ity of cases awards the batting honors of the season to mere 
"record batsmen," as there is no data in the scoring rules 
which give due credit to the "team worker at the bat." This 
is rather discouraging to the player who devotes his best efforts 
to "playing for the side" in a match. 

Scratch Hit. — This is a term applied to an accidental hit 
which unexpectedly yields a base. It is a term, too, which is 
often unjustly applied to an effort by the batsman to make "a 
place hit" by a bunt or short safe hit. A ball batted in the 
air which drops safely between two fielders, who are each 
afforded an easy chance for a catch but who both hesitate to 
accept it, is an undoubted scratch hit. and not a base hit, as it 
yields a base by an error of judgment by two fielders. 

Safe Hit. — This is a hit which earns a base from a tapped 
ball to short right field, yielding no chance for a catch, though 
the ball is hit up in the air. It is a "place hit" in nearly every 
instance. 

Striker. — This is the old time title given the batsman, a 
term used in the code of playing rules of the decade of the 
sixties. 

Striking Out. — This is the act of being put out on "called 
strikes," and, as a rule, it shows weak batting ; but it is also a 
result of skillful, strategic pitching. Generally, however, 
intimidating speed by the pitcher against nervous batsmen has 
a great deal to do with strike-out records. 

Sacrifice Hit. — A sacrifice hit is credited to the batsman who, 
when no one is out or when but one man is out, advances a 
runner a base by a bunt hit, which results in the batsman being 
put out before reaching first, or would so result if it were 
handled without error. A sacrifice hit also should be credited 
to a batsman who, when no one is out or when but one man is 
out, hits a fly ball that is caught but results in a run being 
scored on the catch, or would in the judgment of the scorer so 
result if caught. 

Time at Bat. — Under Rule 82 "a time at bat" is thus defined : 

" 'A time at bat' is the term at bat of a batsman. It begins 
when he takes his position, and continues until he is put out 
or becomes a base-runner. But a time at bat shall not be 
charged against a batsman who is awarded first base by the 
umpire for being hit by a pitched ball, or on 'called balls,' or 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 63 

when he makes a sacrifice hit or for interference by the 
catcher." 

Timing a Hit.— This is a term applicable to the act of so 
timing the forward swing of the bat to meet the ball that it 
may meet it either back of the home base line — thereby hitting 
the ball to right field — or forward of the line, in which case 
the ball would be hit to the left. It requires perfect command 
of the bat, and coolness and nerve in judging the pace of the 
pitched ball. 

"Timing a hit" is the fundamental rule of scientific batting in 
base ball, and it requires brain work, with plenty of study and 
practice to excel in it. The batsman who is merely a machine 
batsman, or one who bats for a record, is practically ignorant 
of the science of "timing a hit." 

Waiting for Good Balls. — This is a feature of skillful work 
by the batsman and requires keen sight and considerable nerve 
to excel in it. It is essential that the batsman should con- 
stantly keep himself in readiness — that is, "in good form" — to 
strike at the first ball that comes over the plate and within 
legal range, in order to fully benefit by "waiting for good balls." 



54 SPALDING'S ATHL]ETIO LIBRARY. 



Technical TermsjApplicable to Fielding 

Assist. — One assist and no more shall be given to each player 
who handles the ball in aiding in a run-out or any other play 
of the kind, even though he complete the play by making the 
put-out. An assist should be given to a player who makes a 
play in time to put a runner out, even if the player who could 
complete the play fails, through no fault of the assisting player. 
And, generally, an assist should be given to each player who 
handles or assists in any manner in handling the ball from the 
time it leaves the bat until it reaches the player who makes 
the put-out, or in case of a thrown ball, to each player who 
throws or handles it cleanly, and in such a way that a put-out 
results, or would result if no error were made by a team 
mate. Assists should be credited to every player who handles 
the ball in the play which results in a base-runner being called 
"out" for interference or for running out of line. 

Deep Field. — ^This term is applied to the far outfield, whether 
to the left, center or right field. 

Doul)le Play. — A double play is made whenever the fielders 
put out two opponents of the batting side between the time the 
ball is delivered to the bat and its being again in the hands of 
the pitcher ready for re-delivery. 

Dropped Fly Ball. — A fly ball, dropped out of the hands of 
a fielder before being "momentarily held," as the rule requires, 
or a thrown ball dropped after being thrown to a base player 
on the fly and within fair reach, is a fielding error. But no 
such error can be charged to a fielder who drops a ball while 
in collision with a base-runner. 

Under the enforcement of the rule governing an "Infield 
hit," if the hit fiy ball be touched by an infielder — ^whether 
dropped in the effort to catch it or not — the batsman is out. 
In such case no error is to be charged on the dropped fly ball. 

Fair Catch. — Any catch of a fair hit ball which is momen- 
tarily held by a fielder before touching the ground or any object 
other than a fielder; provided, it be not caught in a fielder's 
hat, cap, protector, pocket or other part of his uniform. 

Foul-Tip Catch. — This is a catch of a foul ball which goes to 
the catcher sharp from the bat. The penalty of a fiy-tip foul 
ball which is caught is the call of a strike by the umpire. 
(Rule 49, Sec. 6.) 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 55 

Forced Off. — A base-runner is said to be "forced off" a base 
whenever lie is followed in the base running by a runner who 
has made a fair hit, or been sent to his base on balls and who 
has thereby forced a runner off, which latter forces off the 
runner who preceded him. 

Fumhle. — A fumbled ball is a fielding error. It occurs when 
the ball, having been stopped but not held by the fielder, is 
fumbled in the effort to pick it up, thus preventing the retire- 
ment of the runner. 

hifieldcrs. — The infielders, as a team, comprise the three base 
players and the shortstop. 

The Infield. — The infield of a ball ground comprises the dia- 
mond field and its immediate vicinity. 

Juggling the Ball. — A ball is said to be "juggled" when it is 
partially caught and rebounds from a fielder's hands before 
being "momentarily held." Until so held no runner can legally 
leave a base on an alleged catch, because the ball is kept from 
the ground but not actually caught. 

Passed Ball. — A passed ball is recorded whenever a runner 
advances from a dropped or muffed ball by the catcher, or from 
his allowing any ball to pass him which is not a wild pitch or 
a base on balls. No passed ball can be charged unless a base Is 
run on the error. 

Pick-Up. — This term is applied to a clean handling of a 
sharply hit ball, especially if a bounder. It is a piece of fine, 
sharp fielding. 

Quick Return. — ^This term applies to the quick return of the 
pitched ball to the pitcher by the catcher, so as to enable the 
pitcJier to catch the batsman napping and out of form. 

Run Down. — A base-runner is said to be "run down" when he 
is caught between the bases and runs backward and forward 
to avoid being touched out while off a base. Runners from first 
to second, when a runner is on third base, and only one hand 
out, frequently run the risk of being run out in order to afford 
the runner on third a chance to get home on the play. 

Running Catch. — ^This is a catch which is one of the most 
attractive features of fine fielding, but it requires sound judg- 
ment and sure catching ability to excel in- it. 

Short Field.— This is the space of ground occupied by the 
shortstop, who, by the way, is the roving player of the infield, 
who stands ready to cover second base, or that of any other 
infield position when occasion may require. 



56 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

Triple Play. — This is another fielding play peculiar to base 
ball, like that of a "double play." There are several ways of 
making a triple play, but the most familiar method is that of 
forcing out players. For instance, suppose all three bases are 
occupied and the batsman hits a ball down in front of him 
which the catcher fields at once, and, first touching the home 
base with his foot, throws the ball to the third baseman, who 
similarly touches his base and forwards the ball to second 
base, and if the ball is held on each base before each forced-off 
runner retouches it, a triple play is made. 

Another form of a "triple play" is made when a fly ball is 
hit, apparently safe, to short outfield, when first and second 
bases are occupied, and the base-runners are tempted to leave 
their bases on the chance of the hit being safe. The ball being 
caught, however, and promptly forwarded in time to second 
base, and by the baseman to first base, before the runners can 
retouch the bases they left when the hit was made, a triple 
play is the result. 

Wide Throw. — This fielding error is made whenever a fielder 
throws a ball beyond the fair reach of a base player, either 
over his head, to the right or left of him, or on the bound or 
along the ground. When such a throw is made to the batsman 
by the pitcher it becomes "a wild pitch." 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 67 



Technical Terms Applicable to 
Base Running 

Base-Rtwner. — A batsman becomes a base-ruuner in six dif- 
ferent waj^s : 1, instantly after he makes a fair hit ; 2, in- 
stantly after "four balls" have been called by the umpire ; 3, in- 
stantly after "three strikes" have been declared by the umpire ; 
4, if, without making any attempt to strike at the ball, his per- 
son or clothing be hit by a pitched ball unless, in the opinion 
of the umpire, he plainly makes no effort to get out of the way 
of the pitched ball ; 5, if the catclier interfere with him in or 
prevent him from striking at a pitched ball ; 6, if a fair hit ball 
strike the person or clothing of the umpire or a base-runner on 
fair ground. 

Base stealing. — A stolen base shall be credited to the base- 
runner whenever he advances a base unaided by a base hit, a 
put-out, a fielding or a battery error, subject to the following 
exceptions : 

In event of a double or triple steal being attempted, where 
either runner is thrown out, the other or others shall not be 
credited with a stolen base. 

In event of a base-runner being touched out after sliding 
over a base, he shall not be regarded as having stolen the base 
in question. 

In event of a base-runner making his start to steal a base 
prior to a battery error, he shall be credited with a stolen 
base and the battery error shall also be charged. 

In event of a base-runner being touched out after sliding 
when the base-runner is clearly blocked, the infielder making 
the muff shall be charged with an error and the base-runner 
shall not be credited with a stolen base. 

Clewn Steal. — Tliis is a base stolen without the catcher hav- 
ing attempted to throw out the runner. 

Coaching. — This is the term applied to the method of aiding 
base-runners to steal bases, through verbal directions from the 
player appointed to stand back of first or third base to "coach" 
runners. It does not, however, include noisy demonstrations 
and personal remarks to opposing fielders. 

Rule 58 states that: "A coacher may address words of 
assistance and direction to the base-runners or to the batsman. 



58 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

He shall not, by words or signs, incite or try to incite the spec- 
tators to demonstrations, and shall not use language which will 
in any manner refer to or reflect upon a player of the opposite 
club, the umpire or the spectators. Not more than two coach- 
ers, who must be players in the uniform of the team at bat, 
shall be allowed to occupy the space between the players' and 
the coachers' lines, one near first and the other near third 
base, to coach base-runners. If there be more than the legal 
number of coachers or this rule be violated in any respect the 
umpire must order the illegal coacher or coachers to the bench, 
and if his order be not obeyed within one minute the umpire 
shall assess a fine of $5.00 against each offending player, and 
upon a repetition of the offense the offending player or players 
shall be debarred from further participation in the game, and 
shall leave the playing field forthwith." 

Overrunning Bases. — ^The base-runner in running to first base 
may overrun said base after touching it in passing without 
incurring liability to be out for being off said base, provided he 
return at once and retouch the base, after which he may be put 
out as at any other base. If, after overrunning first base, he 
attempts to run to second base, before returning to first base, 
he shall forfeit such exemption from liability to be put out. 
At all other bases the runner may be put out for overrunning 
the base. 

Players Running Bases. — All base-runners run the risk of 
being put out when not standing on a base, except in the case 
of overruning first base. Players running bases are obliged to 
return to the base they left when the baU is hit foul, and also 
when a fly catch is made. But the moment the catch is made, 
either from a fair or foul hit ball, they can leave the base they 
occupied and try to reach the next base safely, in which latter 
case they are to be credited with a stolen base. If. when run- 
ning from base to base — except in the case of making a home 
run — they must keep as near to the line between the bases as 
they can, for if, in order to avoid being touched by the ball in 
the hands of a fielder, they run three feet beyond the line of 
the base they are out. This rule applies only in the case of 
trying to avoid a fielder with the ball in hand, not otherwise. 
The base-runner, running from home to first base, must invari- 
ably run within the lines of the base path until he touches the 
base, or otherwise he is out. 

Sliding to Bases. — There are two ways of sliding to bases. 
viz., head first and feet foremost. The former method is almost 
obsolete. 



SrALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 59 

t^tolen 5ase.— Base stealing is an art. in itself, and it requires 
head work by the runner all the time. He has not only to 
watch the "battery" players, especially the pitcher, but he 
must be on the alert to get a good start for a steal. If a pitcher 
is at all slow in his movements or uses too many motions in 
his delivery, the runner can get a start from him without much 
difficulty. If the runner steals a base by reaching it before he 
is put out, but afterwards is put out through overrunning the 
base, the failure to stop in time nullifies the steal. 

Squeeze Play. — This is a peculiar point of play in the game. 
It is only attempted when a base-runner is on third, with none 
or one out. Then, too, it requires a brainy batsman to be fac- 
ing the pitcher when the play is attempted, and also an expert 
runner at third base. The play is made as follows: As the 
pitcher moves to deliver the ball to the bat, the runner starts 
as if to steal home. The batsman then bunts, and if he suc- 
ceeds, the runner has a good chance to reach home safely on 
the hit. But if he fails, the runner becomes an easy victim of 
the play. 

Bases on Balls. — A base on balls is a "battery" error, though 
there are times when it becomes a point of play to give a skill- 
ful batsman his base on balls, but only rarely is this done. 

Taking Bases on Balks. — All base-runners are entitled to 
advance one base on a balk. (See Rule 54, Sec. 3.) 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



Technical Terms Applicable to Umpiring 

''Play Balir — This is the Gall of the umpire when he opens 
a contest or when starting play after a temporary suspension. 

Thne. — The umpire calls "Time" only when he suspends play 
for the time being, and the moment the call is made the ball 
ceases to be in play. 

Inning. — An "inning" is the term at bat of the nine players 
representing a club in a game, and is completed when three of 
such players of a batting side have been put out. 

No Game. — This term is applied to an interrupted game in 
which less than five innings have been played. The rule says : 
" *No game' shall be declared by the umpire if he terminates 
play in accordance with Rule 22, Sec. 3, before five innings are 
completed by each team. Provided, however, that if the club 
second at bat shall have made more runs at the end of its 
fourth inning than the club first at bat has made in five com- 
pleted Innings of a game so terminated, the umpire shall award, 
the game to the club having made the greater number of runs, 
and it shall count as a legal game in the championship record." 

Suspension of Play. — ^The rule (74) governing the suspension 
of play in a game is as follows : "The umpire shall suspend 
play for the following causes : 

"1. If rain fall so heavily as in the judgment of the umpire 
to prevent continuing the game, in which case he shall note 
the time of suspension, and should rain fall continuously for 
thirty minutes thereafter he shall terminate the game. 

"2. In case of an accident which incapacitates him or a 
player from service in the field, or in order to remove from 
the grounds any player or spectator who has violated the rules, 
or in case of fire, panic or other extraordinary circumstances. 

"3. In suspending play from any legal cause the umpire 
shall call 'Time' ; when he calls Time,' play shall be sus- 
pended until he calls 'Play' again, and during the interim no 
player shall be put out, base be run or run he scored. 'Time* 
shall not be called by the umpire until the ball be held by the 
pitcher while standing in his position, except that this does 
not apply to Section 3, Rule 37, nor does it apply in case of 
fire, panic or storm." 

Reversing Decisions. — No decision rendered by the umpire 
shall be reversed by him in which the question of an error of 
judgment is alone involved. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 61 



General Technical Terms 

Amateurs. — An amateur base ball player is one who does not 
•play ball for "money, place or emolument." All college cluD 
players rank as amateurs when subject to their college faculty 
rules, not otherwise. No player, however, who accepts money 
or its equivalent for his services can rank as an amateur ball 
player. 

Artist. — Webster defines the word "artist" as applicable to a 
person who is "skilled in some art." Therefore, a skillful ball 
player is an artist in his peculiar line. 

Battery. — ^This is a term applied to the pitcher and catcher 
of a team. It is the main attacking force of the little army of 
nine players in the field in a contest. 

Base Lines. — These are the lines defining the location of the 
four bases on the diamond field. 

Blanked. — A term used to indicate the retirement of a side 
in a game without their being able to score a single run. 

Block Ball. — Rule 37, Sec. 1, says: "A block is a batted or 
thrown ball that is touched, stopped or handled by a person 
not engaged in the game. 

"Sec. 2. Whenever a block occurs the umpire shall declare 
it, and base-runners may run the bases without liability to be 
put out until the ball has been returned to and held by the 
pitcher in his position. 

"Sec. 3. If a person not engaged in the game should retain 
possession of a blocked ball, or throw or kick it beyond the 
reach of the fielders, the umpire should call 'Time' and require 
each base-runner to stop at the last base toucJied by him until 
the ball be returned to the pitcher in his position and the 
umpire shall have called 'Play.' " 

Mound or Slad.— This is the term given the pitcher's posi- 
tion. 

Captain of the Team. — Each nine in a contest is governed by 
a captain, who is supposed to have the entire control of the 
movements of every player of his team during a game, the 
captain placing his men in such positions as he deems best, and 
changing the pitchers as he thinks most advisable, etc. Of 



62 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

course, the captain himself, as well as the players, are supposed 
to be governed by the club manager. 

Fan. — This is a term applied to a patron of the game whose 
partisanship is so pronounced as to amount to fanaticism, hence 
the word fan. 

Hit and Run. — This is a term applicable to a point of play 
in the game in which a combination of team work at the bat 
and brainy base running is brought into play with telling effect, 
John M. Ward thus described how it was practically exempli- 
fied in 1893 by Nash, Duffy and McCarthy, of the champion 
Boston team of that year: 

"Say, for instance, that they have a man on first and nobody 
out. Under the old style of play a sacrifice would be the 
proper thing. Then the man on first would reach second while 
the batsman was put out. The Bostons, however, work this 
scheme : The man on first makes a bluff to steal second, but 
runs back to first. By this it becomes known whether the 
second baseman or the shortstop is going to cover second for 
the throw from the catcher. Then the batsman gets a signal 
from the man on first that he is going to steal on a certain 
pitcJied ball. The moment he starts for second the batsman 
just pushes the ball for the place occupied only a moment 
before by the infielder who has gone to cover second base. 
That is, if the second baseman covers the bag, the batter 
pushes the ball slowly to right field ; if it is the shortstop, the 
ball is pushed to left field. Of course, it takes a skillful player 
to do this, but they have such hitters on the Boston nine. Now, 
when that ball is pushed to the outfield, the man who has 
already started to steal second just keeps right on to third, 
while the batsman is safe at first. Then the trick is tried over 
again, and in most cases successfully. The man on first makes 
another bluff to steal, and when the batsman learns who is to 
cover second base he pushes the ball out again, the man on 
third scx^ring, the man on first reaching third, and the batsman 
gaining first." 

Kicking. — This is a generic term, used in the case of players 
disputing decisions by the umpire. A kicker is a nuisance on 
a ball field, and a costly enemy to team work in the game. 

The Nine. — This was a term applied to the players of each 
side engaged in a match game. It has been replaced by the 
term "team." 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 68 

One Old Cat.— In the early period of the decade of the '40s, 
when the old Knickerbocker Base Ball Club of New York used 
to play their practice matches at the Elysian Fields, Hoboken, 
N. J. — then a suburban resort of New Yorkers in the summer — 
the members used to meet on their ball field twice a week. 
They usually arrived in twos and threes, and as soon as they 
had a sufficient number of players present to toss up for sides, 
in a practice match, their game would begin ; but prior to this 
they would bat "fungoes" to the outfielders, and the first to 
catch a ball on the fly would go in and take the bat. When 
more players arrived they would play "One Old Cat," that is, 
one player would toss the ball to the catcher behind the bats- 
man, and when the latter was put out the catcher would go 
in to bat, and the pitcher go behind to catch, the first baseman 
going in to pitch, and each player moving up nearer in his 
turn. But "One Old Cat" was simply a mere practice game, 
preliminary to beginning the regular base ball match, 

''Play Baliy — This is now one of the most familiar terms of 
the whole code of technical terms used in the game. It simply 
means that the players at once throw aside mere "playing ball 
for the fun of it," and devote themselves to earnest work in 
the game. 

Substitutes. — "Many years ago," when the game "was young 
and charming," substitute players were used in the game when 
members of the nine were unable to be punctual in attendance 
on match days. But when professional base ball came into 
vogue, this loose way of playing the game was done away with, 
and now a substitute player is only allowed to take part in a 
game under fixed rules. 

Whitewash. — This is another term applied to the retirement 
of a nine in a game without their scoring a run. The term 
"Chicagoed" is also used for the same cause. The latter term 
arose from the fact of the Chicago team retiring the New York 
Mutuals in the early '70s by a score of 9 to 0, the first time it 
was ever done, since which the term "Chicagoed" has been 
used. 



64 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



Base Ball Scoring Methods 

Almost every scorer of base ball games has his own sten- 
ographical peculiarities of recording the details of base ball 
play. They are all/ however, based on the old system 
devised for A. G. Spalding & Bros, more than half a cen- 
tury ago bv Henry Chadwick, known as the "Father of 
Base Ball." 

The novel feature of the Chadwick system consisted in 
the numbering of the players from 1 to 9, the pitcher being 
usually designated as 1, the catcher 2, first baseman 3, sec- 
ond baseman 4, shortstop 5, third baseman 6, left fielder 7, 
centerfield 8 and right fielder 9. 

These numerals apply throughout the game to the posi- 
tion ; and where changes are made in the player, the fact, 
together with the exact moment of his substitution, should 
be made in the batting order. 

In connection with the numbering of the players, the 
Chadwick plan included a system of lettering to designate 
acts that would require a written phrase to describe, thus : 

H — Hit batsman. LK — Out on foul strikes. 

BB — Bases on balls. S — Stolen base. 

WP— Wild pitch. P— Out on infield pop. 

FC— Fielder's choice. WT— Wild throw. 

E — Error. L — Foul. 

LF— Out on foul fly. T— Safe bunt. 
K— Strike out. Etc. 

These abbreviations may be readily extended and 
improved by the ingenuity of the scorer. As with steno- 
graphic reporters, one reporter's score book is not always 
clear to another, each devising many unique signs or abbre- 
viations. 

In addition, the scorer must have adopted a code of bat- 
ting signs by means of which he can record briefly the 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 55 

nature, direction and effect of hits. To this day many 
scorers employ the signs introduced half a century a^o and 
which are as follows: 

In indicating base hits, use a cross+for a one-base hit> a 
double cross+for a two-base hit, and a triple cross ± 
for a three-base hit; and to show where the ball was hit, 
we add a dot to the cross so as to indicate the part of 
the field the ball was batted to. Thus a hit to left field for 
one base is marked "T"; a hit to right field for two. bases 
thus^ ; a hit to center field for three bases thus i A 
ground ball to either position yielding two bases lii 

• 

The signs, more rarely used, for fielding movements are 
as given below: 

A high thrown wide ball is indicated thus *■ - , the 
line being for the throw and the dot above for the high ball. 
The low thrown wide ball" is similarly indicated, only the 
ball is placed under the line, thus "T- . 

Occasionally scorers employ a combination of dots and 
lines to record hitting performances. In such instances 
the recorder relies on his memory, to some extent, for the 
more intimate details as to the nature of the drive. For 
example, under the dot-and-line plan : 

A single to center would be noted down as 1 

A single to right / 

A single to left\ 

A double to right ; 

A triple to left ^1 i 

A home run to center | 



05 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

In other words, the number of dots indicates the number 
of bases, and the inclination of the dash shows the direc- 
tion of the drive. This system is not as complete as could 
be desired, but is satisfactory for the average fan recording 
a game. 

Still another plan for keeping track of the hits is the use 
of the square, to indicate a home run. One side of it indi- 
cates a single; two sides a double; three sides a triple and 
the complete square a homer. Thus: 

Single I 
Double I 
Triple fl 
Home run LI 

It can be used in connection with dots to be more spe- 
cific as to direction, as : 

Single to left 1 
Double to right i 
Triple to center I * I 
Homer to center Q 



Formerly fans were content to set down the "outs" and 
"runs'^ for each man up, leaving hits, errors and fielding 
details out of the record entirely. But to-day scoring is 
more common and fans like to keep their own records to 
compare them with the official box scores published the 
following day, to see wherein their own judgment coin- 
cided with or differed from that of the official scorer. 

These real fans provide themselves with official score 
books, which contain carefully arranged spaces designed to 
aid the scorer in his recording of details. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



67 



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The central diamond in the above arrangement is usually 
reserved for recording the run, if one is scored. Many 
scorers merely blacken this square so that it stands out 
from the page and indicates prominently the most vital 
feature of the score. Other scorers use this square in which 
to record the final fate of the batsmen, whether it is an 
out at bat, a run scored, or left on base. For simple scor- 
ing, it is best to reserve it solely for recording runs. 

Let us trace an example of stenographic scoring. Sup- 
pose, in the above batting order, that Jones starts out with 
a single to right ; that Brown's bunt sacrifices him to sec- 
ond and that another single to center scores him. The 
score sheet would then appear as follows: 




The usefulness of the numerals may readily be seen, as 
they embrace the entire play in themselves, as far as its 
nature and the persons involved are concerned. 

In the above record it is presumed that the scorer has 
agreed on C as the symbol indicating a "bunt-sacrifice.'' 



68 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

The record on the play, C 1-3, then reads to the mind of 
the scorer : "Brown bunted to the pitcher, who threw him 
out at first base, Jones advancing to second base." Thus 
three characters do the work of 17 words. 

But, supposing the play had resulted differently. Let us 
presume that the pitcher had fumbled the bunt and that 
the runner had gained his base thereby. It would then be 
scored C, E-1. 

This would indicate that the batsman had bunted with 
the intention of sacrificing, had advanced the runner as 
planned, but had gained first through an error of the 
pitcher, and that the batsman was therefore entitled to the 
credit of a sacrifice without being charged with a time at 
bat. 

Had the bunt rolled clear of the pitcher's reach and 
been safe, a still new situation would arise. A new symbol 
would be required — that for a safe bunt, sometimes 
recorded T. In that case Brown would be charged with a 
time at bat and credited with a hit, with no charges against 
the fielding records of the defending team. 

Other examples of the use of numerals might be men- 
tioned, as — double play, short, second, first: 5-4-3. Out, 
third to first — 6-3. Flied to center — F8, etc. 

The simpler batting signs were used above for the rea- 
son that on first attempts at scoring it is inadvisable to 
attempt too much. In fact, the scorer will find arising con- 
stantly puzzling situations that will require more specific 
information as to scoring plays and the signs to designate 
them. 

When the scorer has set down details of the batting, he 
must not forget that, if he is to keep a complete record, he 
must similarly set down the marks in the box score col- 
umns. Thus, in the Jones-Brown-G-reen example above, on 
the sheet score of the attacking team he would have to 
credit (use a dot, or a vertical mark for each) under the 
AB (at bat) columns both Jones and Green. Brown would 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 69 

not receive one because his eSort at the plate proved a sac- 
rifice. Both Jones and Green would also receive one dot, 
under the H (hit) column for a single; while Jones would 
make it a clean sweep for this inning by adding one mark 
to his R (run) column. 

On the other scoring page, that of the defending team, 
the scorer must credit the pitcher with an assist and the 
first baseman with an out, recording the manner in which 
the sacrifice man was retired. 

At the close of each inning the scorer should record, at 
the bottom of the inning columns, the total hits and the 
total runs scored in that period, for the sake of keeping up 
the score by innings and the hits for ready reference. 

All scoring systems are mere elaborations on the above 
plan. Certain managers of base ball teams, for the statis- 
tical purposes, keep very elaborate score in order to be able 
to analyze the work of their teams against certain oppo- 
nents and various forms of pitching. The classification or 
tabulation of results from this system has yielded valuable 
information to observing leaders. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



Signal Systems for a Base Ball 

One of the points to which a base ball club manager 
must give early attention when preparing his club for a 
season^s campaign is a system of signals whereby he may 
convey to his men on the field his choice of a play or stra- 
tegic policy, to meet a situation that has developed along 
different lines than had been anticipated. 

Signals, in the earlier days of base ball, were of the 
crudest sort, involving merely an understanding between 
the batter and the man in front and behind him in the 
batting order. Players were left very much to their own 
devices then, for the manager — then the captain — being 
himself an active participant in the contest, usually had 
his own hands and mind occupied with the duties of his 
position. 

At the present time, however, when tactical shifts 
become frequent to meet the strategic moves of the oppos- 
ing manager, it is imperative that players have a definite 
code of signs sufficiently apparent to themselves to avoid 
mistake and yet sufficiently camouflaged to prevent their 
penetration by the opposing side. 

It may be pertinent to remark at this point that the 
fewer signals employed and the simpler, the better. Many 
major league managers, aniong them the astute Connie 
Mack of Philadelphia, still believe that signals should be 
limited to three or four. It is the prevailing view that 
smart players don't need them and boneheads won't grasp 
them; hence the fewer employed, the less chance of con- 
fusion at some critical stage of the game. On the other 
hand, one or two major league leaders have more or less 
complex codes. 

Most clubs, however, seldom have more than half a dozen 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 71 

signs, if we exclude battery signals, which may be included 
under defensive signs. 

For offensive purposes it is absolutely necessary to have 
signals for the hit-and-run play, bunt, steal, squeeze, etc. 
These signals are usually of two kinds, the "flash" or sign 
signal, and word signals. Most up-to-date teams have both 
varieties, in order to meet all requirements ; and, of course, 
they have change-off signals, in case there is reason to 
believe the enemy has discovered the key to the code being 
used. 

The "flash" signals are most frequently employed by the 
batsman to signal a man on bas2. They are also employed 
by the manager on the bench when out of conversation 
range of the man whose attention he desires to attract. 
For example, with a runner on first, the batsman (perhaps 
himself instructed from the bench) wants to give the hit- 
and-run signal. According to the code agreed upon, this 
sign is given when the batsman touches his hand to the 
visor of his cap. But such a simple signal would be 
detected, after its first trial, by the eagle-eyed watchers on 
the enemy's bench, whose optics are riveted on both bats- 
man and runner to note when a possible signal is given 
and when accepted — for a signal acknowledging or reject- 
ing an order also must be arranged. 

The cap-touching motion being too obvious, it becomes 
necessary to combine it with a "key" sign, which will tell 
the runner when the cap-touching is vital and when incon- 
sequential. Any number of ways of guarding the sign are 
possible, the simplest being to join it with another act. 
For example, it might be agreed that the hit-and-run sign 
was operative only when the batsman's foot, as he stood at 
the plate, was pointed toward the pitcher. 

The combination signal will serve to confuse the observ- 
ers in the enemy trench, who, seeing the hit-and-run tried 
when the batsman's cap was touched, think that this is the 
real and complete sign. However, the next batter up, with 



72 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

a man on, may touch his cap and the enemy play for a 
hit-and-run, when none is intended. Thus the opposed 
pitcher wastes a ball on a pitchout. 

The same sort of signals may be devised for the other 
essential attacking plays — a hitch of the belt, a wiggle of 
the bat, any motion used in combination with a "key" 
sign, is sufficiently protected for ordinary purposes. 

The beauty of this system is that there is only one sig- 
nal for the entire team, manager and coaches included, for 
each play. In the old systems, where the batsman had an 
understanding with the man ahead of him, many signs 
are necessary, adding confusion. 

Some managers order changes from day to day, using 
alternately the regular and the reserve systems, in order to 
confuse opponents, as well as to keep the change set of sig- 
nals fresh in the minds of the players. 

All of these signs are employed by the manager on the 
bench and by the coach, as well as by the players. How- 
ever, these executives more frequently employ a word code 
which is just as simple as the "flash" system. This is 
merely the use of a single word, buried in a sentence or 
jihrase, to indicate each play. 

For example, it might be agreed that the word ''be' 
meant hit-and-run. The manager on the bench could 
shout: "Make him be good, Jack, make him be good!" 
Apparently a meaningless remark and sufficiently involved 
to confuse the signal-stealers as to the vital word, espe- 
cially since the next time "be" were used it would be in 
an entirely different expression, such as : "He ought to be 
easy for you, Bill." 

A similar word for each play could be agreed on, and a 
system almost certain to defy detection thus developed. 
" The coaching signals, both word and flash, may be simi- 
larly devised. They may be further protected by making 
them active or inoperative, dependent upon the position of 
the coacher in the box, or his posture at the time of making 
or shouting the sign. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



73 



Thus, if the coach signed the flash signal for the hit-and- 
run, when the batsman was in doubt, it might be agreed 
that he touch his cap, in the customary way, with the 
understanding that it would not be effective unless he were 
standing in that end of the coacher's box nearest the bat- 
ter. Or it might be agreed that it would be effective only 
when he touched his cap while standing with his left hand 
on his hip. Or, to still further safeguard it, all three pre- 
cautions might be taken. 

The number of attacking signs or signals used is entirely 
up to the manager. But the mind of the base ball player 
would be better off for not burdening him with too many 
signals to be used under changing conditions. Somebody 
is sure to fall down. Wherever such signals are used, it is 
absolutely necessary that a sign acknowledging the accept- 
ance of the signal be made. And right here caution is 
needed. It must be borne in mind that the efforts of the 
opposing team, including the bench warmers, is focused 
on the principal actors of the enemy, the batsmen and base- 
runners, in an effort to anticipate the attacking strategy. 
Any move that may be construed as a signal, whether inter- 
preted rightly or not, has the effect of making the opposi- 
tion more keenly alert. The accepting signal, therefore, 
ought to be camouflaged, as are the others, with a check 
sign. 

When a set of signals is to be changed during the game, 
there should be no less than three separate notifications of 
this change, made to the players by the manager, the cap- 
tain and the coach. Thus it is unlikely that any player 
will miss being notified. If he should, an unpleasant 
tangle of plans might arise at a critical moment. 

Defensive signals are employed by the battery, of course, 
and in other ways by some clubs. The battery signals 
should be known to every member of the team, and to the 
infield players particularly. It is important for these 
players to know whether a fast or curve ball is to be 



74 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

pitched; for the direction of the resulting drive, and its 
force as well, may to some extent be anticipated there- 
from. Occasionally, when the pitch is apt to influence the 
direction of an outfield drive, it is important that the 
infielders signal the outfielder as to the nature of the 
play coming, in order to enable him to play in the best 
possible position to intercept the drive. 

Battery signals almost invariably are given by the 
catcher from a squatting position, in which they may be 
protected from the view of opposing coachers. They are 
simple movements which anybody may devise, with addi- 
tional meaningless motions to confuse the observer who 
may happen to be on second base, watching to catch the 
fast ball signal — the aim of all signal-getters. The pitcher, 
of course, if a veteran, may reject the signal unless ordered 
by the manager. 

There is also a signal, sometimes given by the catcher, 
naming the player who is to cover second base with a man 
on base. The knowledge of this important fact gives the 
batter a big advantage. He knows that the next ball deliv- 
ered will be of the sort that will make it most difficult to 
hit through the opening vacated by the base-coverer, and 
can "step into" the pitch and perhaps hammer the ball 
through the opening thus created, for a safe hit. The base 
covering signal, therefore, ought to be carefully protected 
and subject to occasional change. 

Special signals are sometimes devised to meet special 
occasions. For example, the pitcher, the catcher and the 
shortstop or second baseman may devise a play to nip a 
man who takes a big lead off second base. After the signal 
is given, the players involved, without seeming to notice 
the base-runner, count four. Then the baseman darts to 
the bag and the pitcher wheels and throws to the bag. Sig- 
nals of this sort may be made up on the spur of the 
moment, between innings, as they do not involve the entire 
team. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 75 

One of the fancied dangers of relying too greatly on 
signals comes when a team trades or sells a player to an 
enemy club in the same league. Of course he takes the 
entire signal list with him, when it becomes incumbent on 
the manager, coach and players to learn all over again. At 
least that would appear to be the safe plan. However, it is 
a well-known fact that ten days after a ball player has 
changed teams he forgets his old club's signs or confuses 
many of them so badly that it is unsafe to rely upon his 
tips regarding them. 

A -great deal has been written about signal-stealing, 
which is considered unsportsmanlike in some circles; yet 
it is part of the every-day efforts of all professional base 
ball teams. Most of the battery signals are obtained by 
the co-operation of the man in the coacher's box and the 
base-runner on second. Every move of the battery is 
watched and those players on the bench compare notes. 
The combined observation of all the alert minds on a club 
occasionally results in the discovery of the fast and curve 
ball signs. 

Next to this, the most coveted sign for signal-stealing is 
the hit-and-run signal, which puts the attacking play at 
the mercy of the pitcher. He can hurl the ball out of 
reach of the batter, and the catcher easily can pick off the 
runner going to second. The discovery of this sign is of 
occasional occurrence and for that reason some managers 
make it a "run-and-hit" play. This means that there is no 
signal given, but the batter has standing instructions to 
hit whenever the base-runner decides to go down. With 
alert base ball players this is the preferable tactic. 

As a general axiom commonly accepted by all man- 
agers, it may be asserted that "the fewer the signs, the bet- 
ter the ball club." However, this applies only up to cer- 
tain limits. Certain signs are absolutely necessary to good 
base ball. 

That they have been more freely used, in later years, is 



76 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

evident from a statement made by Walter Maranville, with 
the Boston Braves the year the team won the championship 
of the world after being in last place on July 16 of that 
season. Following is a quotation from an interview at 
the time: 

"Signals had a lot to do with our winning the 
championship. We had signals of our own, of 
course, and so far as I know they never were 
solved consistently. We were able to get the 
meaning of the signals of the other team in nearly 
every city of the league. In St. Louis we knew 
almost every move that the other fellow was going 
to make, and that helped a lot. Their signals 
were very easy. Other teams had harder signals, 
but we managed to get most of them, while the 
other side was doing the guessing." 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 77 



Equipment of a Base Ball Team 

The base ball public has been educated to a discrimi- 
nating taste in other niceties of the national game than 
mere playing excellence. It has learned to prefer respec- 
tability to rowdiness in the deportment of the players and 
of the occupants of the grandstand and bleachers; it has 
been educated to enjoy the game from up-to-date seating 
facilities and carefully cleaned chairs; and it has grown 
to appreciate the spick and span appearance of the players 
themselves, as to their uniforms and equipment. A major 
league club to-day could no more afford to send on the 
field men frowsily clad than it could permit them on the 
diamond intoxicated. 

Few in the stands, however, stop to inquire as to the 
time, forethought and expense devoted to the wearing 
apparel and the implements used by the players in their 
daily work. Yet, as a matter of fact, these play an 
important part in pleasing the fan. ' 

The principle of dressing up a base ball club presentably 
is the same that applies to the fitting up a store or serv- 
ing food. For example: Two stores may handle the 
same class of goods ; but one will outsell the other, merely 
because it has displayed its wares and outfitted its interior 
more attractively. Its salesmen, too, have much better 
success if nattily and stylishly dressed than if dowdily or 
carelessly garbed. The prospective purchaser is sub-con- 
sciously influenced by appearances in favor of the neater 
men and the neater establishment, though the price and 
quality of the goods may be identical. 

Also, the same food, which is disgusting when shoved 
at one in "hash-house" style, might be rendered palatable 
if served on snowy linen, in tasteful dishes, with a gar- 
nishing of parsley on the plate. The dishes, linen and 
parsley do not help the food ; but they create in the mind 



78 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

of the diner a more favorable impression of what is ai)Out 
to be offered him. 

So the attractively clad ball-player, whose uniform is 
always clean and neat to start the game, favorably pre- 
possesses the onlooker, as compared with the carelessly out- 
fitted star. Slovenly dress is apt to create an impression 
that slovenly work is to follow. 

For that reason base ball clubs which are catering to a 
pay-as-you-enter public can not afford to have other than 
first-class equipment. A major league player's uniform 
and laundry bill to-day is a considerable item in the aggre- 
gate. But it is worth all that can be expended on it. 

Clubs playing a heavy schedule throughout a long sea- 
son need at least four uniforms, two for home use and two 
for trips abroad, the latter, of course, of darker or pat- 
terned goods, to distinguish them from the inevitable light 
uniforms used at home. Some teams get along with one 
road uniform; but where the trips require absences of 
more than one week, it is stretching the cleanliness feature 
to the last limit. A club can not be too circumspect in this 
matter and should see that, whatever its schedule condi- 
tions, enough equipment is provided to maintain the 
snappy and presentable appearance of the team. 

No club should invest in the "just as good" brand of 
material, because, in the long run, it is not economy. The 
best pays, as a rule; and Spalding quality is invariably 
reliable. 

The matter of club appearance should not be overlooked 
by any team — large or small, professional or amateur — if 
its games are to be viewed by any considerable number of 
persons. Especially should this apply to "town" teams. 
Civic pride, if no other motive, should induce the backers 
of such clubs to provide adequate equipment to make the 
"front" of the club a "hit" with the fans. 

But the matter does not end with uniforms — it extends 
to the implements of the player. It has been said that a 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 79 

workman may be judged by his tools — meaning their qual- 
ity and the condition in which he keeps them. No good 
workman ever permits the implements with which he earns 
a living to deteriorate, knowing that his own efficiency 
depends upon theirs. 

Major league players acquire tastes in gloves, bats, etc., 
that amount to superstition, almost. If they happen to 
have met with success with it, the first glove or bat they 
use remains, for them, the only glove and the only bat 
on the market. Some go to the extent of having gloves 
privately made and bats modeled according to their per- 
sonal views. But this is apt to be mere fancy; for all 
sorts, shapes, sizes and weights of base ball tools may be 
had— ready made— tools that have been tested and not 
found wanting. . 

In the major leagues the boys are not a bit backward m 
ordering clubs, as the management foots the bills. One 
major league club's list one year, as turned in for only 
twelve players, included fifty-eight bats— an average of 
nearly five per man. 

Weight and wood are matters of moment to some play- 
ers. In this respect all should be guided by their own 
experience and convictions on the subject. Bats that suit 
one player by no means suit the next man. The Spalding 
line offers an unlimited range of selection. ,.,.,, 

It is well to have as great a variety, of the kind that 
each player fancies, as the club resources permit. Whether 
it be fancy or fact, a player's preference may psychologi- 
cally affect his batting prowess, if he is balked m getting 
what he wants. He goes into the game thinking he can t 
do as well with the other bat; hence he is mentally injur- 
ing his own effectiveness, right there. Spalding s will 
duplicate any model to order, and their factory carries 
numerous specifications of various models made up spe- 
cially to suit the ideas of leading batters. 

Shoes are an important item to the base ball star. They 



80 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

must fit;, but must be comfortable and strong. The play- 
er's preference in spikes can be left to himself; although, 
like almost every other article of base ball equipment, 
these have been standardized. 

Many players have preferences in gloves and, once suited 
in this respect, dislike to "break in" a new one. For this 
reason they frequently cling too long to a patched and 
mended article when a new one is not only desirable but 
necessary. No manager should permit his men to use a 
glove that is not in perfect repair, no matter how reluctant 
he may be to surrender his time-worn relic. Players 
acquire a positive affection for some of the paraphernalia 
of the game which they have had with them for a long 
time and are frequently stubborn about giving it up. Tn 
the end they must retire the decrepit old friend for good, 
so they might as well break in the new one early as late. 

Gloves, shoes and other equipment should all be given a 
certain amount of "breaking in'' before being used in 
championship contests, not merely to render them more 
pliable but chiefly to familiarize the player, so that he will 
not even think of the fact that he has on a different or 
new glove. 

However, if the glove is of high grade, very little 
"breaking in" will be necessary, and the player who blames 
a misplay on a new tool is usually seeking an alibi. 

That managers are not indifferent to the appearance and 
the precise equipment of their base ball teams may be 
gleaned from the following remarks of one who has been 
in the game many years: 

"I have always found that it pays to get the best equip- 
ment that can be bought. The implements used by tlie 
players I leave to their individual preferences, as to gloves 
and bats. I never attempt to suggest, unless I think a 
player has not had experience enough to make a proper 
choice, suitable to his special abilities. The principal idea 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 81 

in developing a winning team is to satisfy the player in 
every way possible — then he delivers his best. 

"It has been my experience that the 'cockiness' of a 
club is materially aided by the consciousness of its mem- 
bers that they present an attractive appearance on the 
field ; so I never haggle over incidentals, if they please the 
player. Dress a man up well and you may be certain that 
he will FEEL many per cent better and play accordingly. 
Nothing contributes more to slovenly work and feelings 
than the consciousness of being ill-clad, or equipped worse 
than your opponent. A player always feels an interest in 
his club proportionate to the interest his management takes 
in him." 



IS3?E-mE SPALDING 



ffRADE^MMR'^Sr 



Spalding ''Official National League" Ball 

(REG. U. S. PAT. OFF.) 



»N&^. 



The 

Ofl&cial Ball 

of the 

World 

Seriei 



^feil 



1% 

S9Ue 




Adopted 

by the 
National 

League 

Patent 
Cork Center 



No. 1. Used in all Championship games, 
stitched, red and black.. 



Double 



SPALDING RUBBER CORE LEAGUE BALL 

No. lA. Pure Para rubber center. Wound in same manner and with 
yarn as' 'Official National League. ' ' Stitched red and black. 
SPALDING 
"OFFICIAL NATIONAL LEAGUE" JR. BALL 

Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. 
No. Bl. Patent cork center, slightly smaller in size 
than our"Official National League"(Regr.U.S.Pat.Off.) 
Ball No. 1. 

SPALDING MATCH 
No. 4. Horsehide cover. 

SPALDING JUNIOR PROFESSIONAL 
No. 7B. Slightly under regular size. Horsehide 
cover. Carefully made. 

SPALDING KING OF THE DIAMOND 
No. 5. Full size; has horsehide cover. 
No. 8. SPALDING LEAGUE JUNIOR. A popu- 
lar boys* size ball. Durable cover. 
No. 6. STAR. Full size. Durable cover. 

No. 11. BOYS* AMATEUR. Nearly regulation size and weight. 
No. 12. BOYS' FAVORITE. A good boys* size; two-piece cover. 
No. 13. ROCKET. Two-piece cover. Boys' size. 




No. Bl 



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SPALDING BASE BALL BATS 

No. 200. Spalding Double Oil Tempered Autograph Ash Bats 

Finest second growth osage ash, air dried two or three years; very tough, 
hard stock, double oiled tempered. (Boiled in oil two successive days), 
hard filled, hand rubbed and French polished. 12 models. 

SPECIFICATIONS of Models furnished in the No. 200 line of bats listed above. 



Lenerth 


Weight 


Model 


Length 


Weight 


Model 


Length 


Weight 


34 in. 


37 to 45 oz. 


204 


33 in. 


36 to 43 oz. 


208 


34 in. 


37 to 44 oz. 


32 in. 


38 to 45 oz. 


205 


32 in. 


39 to 46 oz. 


209 


33 in. 


36 t. 43 oz. 


34 in. 


38 to 45 oz. 


206 


33 in. 


36 to 44 oz. 


210 


33 in. 


39 to 46 oz. 


34 in. 


38 to 45 oz. 


207 


33 in. 


35 to 42 oz. 


211 


34 in. 


38 to 46 oz. 



SPALDING "PLAYERS' AUTOGRAPH" BATS 
No. 150. Duplicating in every case the bat made famous by the great 
player whose autograph signature is branded on it. Made from finest 
air-dried, second growth, straight grained white ash, cut from uplan' 
timber. Special oil finish hardens with age increasing the resihency 
and driving power. 

Furnished in following models. Mention name of player when ordering. 



VIC SAIER Autograph Mode I 
Fairly thin handle, well'distributed striking surface. 
Weights 40 to 44 ounces. Length 34 inches. 

BENNIE KAUFF Autograph Model 
More tapered than Saier model, good striking sur- 
face. VVoights from 38 to 42 ounces. Length 
33 1-2 inches. 

JOHN J. EVERS Autograph Model 
Sufficient wood to give splendid driving power. 
Weights from 40 to 44 ounces. Length 34 inches. 

DAVIS ROBERTSON Autograph Mode 1 
Longest bat in regular line. Fairly thin handle, 
even tapered. Weights from 37 to 42 ounces. 
Length 35 1-2 inches. 

ROGER P. BRESNAHAN Autograph Model 
Short, large handle, well rounded end. Weights 
from 40 to 44 ounces. Length 32 1-2 inches. 
FRED WILLIAMS Autograph Model 
Handle slightly thicker than Zimmerman model, 
go)il striking surface. Weights from 36 to 42 
ounces. Length 34 inches. 



HAL CHASE Autograph Model 
Very large batting surface and long thin handle. 
Weights from 41 to 46 ounces. Length 34 inches. 

MILLER J. HUGGINS Autograph Model 
Short small handle, body quite thick. WelshU 
from 38 to 42 ounces. Length 32 inches. 

NORMAN ELBERFELD Autograph Model 



HEINIE ZIMMERMAN Autograph Model 



HARRY H. DAVIS Autograph Model 

Light weight but well balanced. Weights from 86 

Length 34 1-2 inches. 



FRANK M. SCHULTE Autograph Model 
An excellent model. Weights from 37 to41 
Length 35 inches. 



Can also supply on special orders, Donlin, Oakes, Crawford, Elberfeld, 
Clarke, and Keeler models 

If you have any particular model of bat which you wi=h made up or an old bat that you want duplicated, 
sptjcial attention will be given to your order if complete specifications are sent to any A. G. SPALDING & 
HKOS'. Store, accompanied by the price, $1.50.' The bat will be made and finished according to your 
specifications, either m the "Professional" oil finish or the "Gold Medal" natural finish. If the old bat is 
se.if it should be expressed, charges prepaid, with your name and address on the package, and also on tag 
attached to bat. If only measurements ire sent, special Cc..i ..hould be used in drawing the bat on a blank 
sheet of paper, giving the exact shape of the bat with measurements around different parts and the length 
and the approximate weight. At least five ounces variation in weight must be allowed for difference in 
density of timber. 

We require at least two weeks' time for the execution of special bat orders. 

We do not guarantee bats against breaking, *" 



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SPALDING BASE BALL BATS 



Finished plain white. 



No. 150N. Spalding Natural Finish Ash Bats. 

hard filled, French polished. 12 models . 

No. ISOB. Spalding Dark Brown Taped Ash Bats. Very dark brown 
Stained, except 12 in. of handle left; natural. Tape wound grip. Hard 
filled, high French poUshed. 12 models. 

SPECIFICATIONS of Models furnished in the Nos. 150N and 150B line of bats listed above. 
Model Length Weight Model Length Weight Model Length Weight 

Nl 31 in, 32 to 39 oz. N5 34 in. 36 to 44 oz. N9 35 in. 38 to 45 oz. 

N2 33 In. 33 to 43 oz. N6 34 in. 36 to 44 oz. NIO 34 in. 36 to 44 oz. 

N3 33 fa. 35 to 44 oz. N7 34 in. 88 to 45 oz. Nil 32 in. 40 to 44 oz. 

N4 33 fa. 32 to 40 oz. N8 32 in. 37 to 43 oz. N12 35 fa. 40 to 47 oz. 



No. 125S. Spalding *' All Star" Ash Bats. Yellow Stained, mottle bumt, 
hard filled, high French polished. Good quality second growth white 
ash. Supplied in twelve assorted models. 

No. 125M. Spalding New Special College Ash Bate. Special oil tem- 
pered, natural finish, hard filled, taped eight inches on handle. Fine 
quality second growth white ash. Supplied in twelve assorted models. 

No. 125Y. Spalding Special National Association Ash Bats. Yellow 
Stained, hard filled, two- thirds of bat light fiame burnt, French polished. 
Fine grade second growth white ash, taped five inches on handle. 
Supplied in twelve assorted models 

No. 125F. Spalding Hardwood Fungo Bat. 38 in. long, thin model, pro- 
fessional oil finish . 

No. lOOT. Spalding League, Taped Handle. Assorted models. Good 
quaUty white ash. 

No. 100. Spalding League, Plain Handle. Same as No. lOOT, Not taped 
handle.. 

No. 75W. Spalding Willow Fungo Bat. Specially selected basswood, light 
weight, yellow stained, assorted lengths. 

No. 50B. Spalding Junior. Boys' bat. Special finished, assorted models, 
selected white ash , 

No. 2SB. Spalding Junior League. Boys' bat. Ldght weights ; good grade 
ash (six dozen in a crate).. 

We do not guarantee bats against breaking. 



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STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



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sSUHE SPALDING 



•TRADEMARK 



SPALDING CATCHERS' MITTS 




No. 12-0 



No. 12-0. "Honor." The 

pride of the Spalding factory. 
Special brown leatlier. Pad- 
ding cannot get out of shape, 
as it is held by an "inside 
mitt" of leather. Leather 
laced back and strap-and- 
buckle reinforcement at 
thumb. "Stick-on-the-Hand" 
strap-and-buckle fastening 

No. 10-0. "World Series." 

Finest selected brown calf- 
skin. King Patent Felt Pad- 
ding, leather laced back and 
special "Stick-on-the-Hand" 
strap and brass buckle fasten- 
ing. , 

No. 6-0. "ColUgiate." Special 
olive-colored leather. King 
Patent Felt Padding; laced 
back and thumb; strap-and- 
buckle fastening. '" " ~~ 

No. OK. "OK Model." Semi- 
molded face. Brown leather 
throughout. Felt padding, 

Eatent laced back and thumb; leather lace, leather bound ed^es. 
eather strap and buckle fastening . 

No. 5-0. "League Extra." Molded face. Special tanned buflE colored leather, 
soft and pUabie; patent hand formed felt padding; strap-and-buckle fast- 
ening at back, reinforced and laced at thumb, and made with patent laceg 
back. Heel of hand piece felt lined. Leather bovmd edges. ^ 

No. 4-0. "League Special.** Molded face. Special tanned brown leather; 
patent hand formed felt padding; reinforced and laced at thumb; patent 
laced back, leather lace; strap-and-buckle fastening at back. Heel pf 
hand piece felt lined. Leather bound edges. . 

No. O. "Interstate." Brown leather face and finger piece; leather back and side 
piece; strap-and-buckle fastening; patent laced back; leather lace. .Heel of 
hand piece felt lined. 

No. AA. "Athletic." Brown leather face and finger piece, black leather back, an,d 
side piece; patent laced back, leather lace; strap-and-buckle fastening. 

No. IC. "Back-Stop." Gray leather face and finger piece; oak colored leather 
side piece. Strap-and-buckle; patent laced back, leather lace. T 

No. 3. "Amateur." Oak colored leather face and finger piece; imitation leather 

^ back. Reinforced at thumb ; strap-and-buckle fastening. " 

No. 3A. "Public School." Oak colored leather face and fingers. Canya^Lback 
and Army gum fabric side piece. Reinforced at thumb. . 

No. 4E. "Boys' Amateur." Oak colored leather face and fingers, canva^t^ack 
and Army gum fabric side piece. Good size. 

All Styles Made in Rights and Lefts 

When Ordering for Left Handed Players Specify *'Full Right" 



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SPALDING BASEMEN'S MITTS 




No. AtJA 



No. ABX. *'Stick on the Hand." 

The "Stick-on-the-Hand" construe- 
tion will prove of wonderful assist- 
ance. Laced, except around thumb 
and heel, leather lace; strap-and- 
buckle adjustment at thumb. 

No. AXP. "World Series." Finest 
white tanned buck; leather lacing 
around mitt, including thumb; strap- 
and-buckle fastening. Leather strap 
support at thumb. King Patent 
Padding 

No. BXP. "World Series." Finest 
selected brown calfskin; leather lac- 
ing; strap-and-buckle fastening. Leather strap support at thumb. King 
Patent Padding 

No. BXS. "League Special." Selected brown calfskin, boimd with 
brown leather. Leather laced, except heel; leather strap support at 
thiunb ; strap-and-buckle fastening , 

No. BXB. "Well Broke." Brown horse hide, bound with black leather. 
Leather laced, except thumb and heel. Strap-and-buckle adjustment at 
thiunb. 

No. CD. "Red Oak." Oak colored leather with leather binding. Leather 
laced, except at thumb and heel, leather strap support at thumb. Strap- 
and-buckle fastening . 

No. ex. "Semi-Pro." Face of specially tanned smoke color leather, 
back of firm tanned brown leather, laced, except at heel. Strap-and- 
buckle fastening. 

No. CXS. "Amateur." Special oak colored leather. Correctly 
padded; laced, except at heel. Strap-and-buckle fastening. 

No. DX. "Double Play." Oak tanned leather; laced all around, 
except at heel. Strap-and-buckle fastening. Nicely padded. 

No. EX. "League Junior." Black leather face. Laced, except at 
heel; padded. Strap-and-button fastening. . 

All Styles Made in Rights and Lefts 
When Ordering for Left Handed Players Specify "Full Right" 



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|i^it^*«>a^ii*<:^^"'»i-^M<''' 




SPALDING INFIELDERS' GLOVES 




No. BBH. *'Honor." All horsehide, 
special buck tanning, including full 
lining, making this really the most 
durable and "wearable" fielders' glove 
ever put out. Leather welted seams. 
Laced at heel . 

No. BBl. "World Series." Finestquality 
buckskin. Most carefully constructed, 
being of good width and length, but not; 
clumsy. Leather lined. Welted seauis Vv. 
King Patent Felt Padding. ^N 

No. PXL. "Professional." Finest buck- 
skin obtainable. Heavily padded arouim 
edges and little finger. Extra long to 
protect the wrist. Leather lined. Welted 
In regular and "Cadet" fingers. 



No. XWL. "League Special." Specially tanned calfskin. Extra 
protect wrist. Leather lined. Welted seams. 

No. 2W. "Minor League." Smoked horsehide. Professional model ; 

leather lined; laced at wrist; welted seams 

No. 3X. "Semi-Pro." Gray buck tanned leather. A very large model. 

Correctly padded; welted seams. Leather lined. 

No. XL. "Club Special." Special white tanned leather; laced at wrist 

to adjust padding; welted seams; leather lined. 

No. 4X. "Association." Brown leather, specially treated. Laced at 

wrist. Welted ^cams; leather lined. 

No. MO. "Ours." Made of selected oak tanned leather, leather lined. 

No. XS. "Practice." Good quality pearl tanned leather; well finished; 
welted seams; leather lined. 

No. 15. "Regulation." Men's size. Brown tanned leather, padded: 

welted seams; leather lined . 

No. 15R. "Regulation." Men's size. Black tanned leather, laced at 

wrist for padaiug adjustment; leather lined. 

No. 15W. "Mascot." Men's size. Oak colored leather; leather 

lined . 
No. 13. "Interscholastic." Youths' size. Oak tanned orown leather, 

welted seams; palm leather lined. 

No. 17. "Youths'." Good size: special brown tanned leather; nicely 
padded; palm leather lined. 

An extra piece of felt padding is enclosed with each King Patent Glove. 

All of above gloves are made with Diverted Seam (Pat. March 10, 1908), and have 
web of leather between thumb and first finger which can be cut out if not required. 

Made in Rights and lefts. When ordering for left Handed Players Specify "Full RighL** 



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SPALDING CATCHERS' MASKS 

No. 12-CL. "Double Diamond." Has 

special truss supported frame besides 
double wiring at point where greatest 
strength is needed. Padding of new 
design. Diamond shaped opening in 
front of mouth . 

No. 10-OW. "World Series." Special 
electric welded, "Open Vision." blacli 
finish frame, including wire ear guards 
and circular opening in front. Weight 
is as light as consistent with absolute 
safety; padding made to conform to the 
face with comfort. 

No. 4-0. "Sun Protecting." Patent lea. 
ther simshade, protects eyes without 
obstructing view. "Open Vision," 
electric welded frame of finest steel ,o/-.i 

wire, heavy black finish. Diamond No. 12-CL 

shaped opening in front. Pitted with soft chin-pad; improved design 
hair-filled pads, including forehead pad, and special elastic head-band . 




No. O-P. "Semi-Pro" League. "Open Vision," electric welded best 
black annealed steel wire frame Convenient opening in front of mouth. 

••Regulation League" Masks 

No. O-X. Men's size. "Open Vision," electric welded frame, finished in 
black. Leather covered pads. 

No. OXB. Youths' "Open Vision," electric welded frame, black finish. 

No. A. Men's. Electric welded black enameled frame. Leather covered 
pads. 

No. B. Youths'. Electric welded black 
enameled frame, similar in quaUty through- 
out to No. A, but smaller in size. 

No. X. Electric welded black enameled frame. 

Canvas covered pads 



SPALDING UMPIRES* MASK 

No. UO. "Super-Protected." Wires in 
this mask support each other and are ar- 
ranged according to an entirely new principle 
of mask construction. Eye opening is 
straight across with ''Diamond" point wired 
protection. Fitted with extra padded chin 
protection and folding padded ear pieces . 




NcUO 



PROMPT inEKTtON GIVEN TO 

ANT COMMUNICATIONS 

ADDBESSED TO US 



A.G.SPALDING & BROS. 

STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



FOR COMPLETE UST OF STORES 

SEE INSIDE RONT C8YEI 

OF THIS Boot 



PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. Fo, 



price* M* ipacUl Caiw4iaD CaUletM 



THE SPALDING((^))TRADE-MARK 



SPALDING BASE BALL SHOES 

Sizes and Weights of No. FW Shoes 

Size of shoes 5 6 7 8 9 

Weight per pair l8oz 18Koz 19oz20oz2Ioz 

The Lightest and Best Base Ball Shoes ever made. 

No. FW. "World Series." 

Kangaroo leather uppers, fin- 
f5st white oak leather soles. 
Hand sewed; l)ench made; 
strong, soft laces. 

Owinsr to lightness and fineness of this shoe 
it is suitable only for fastest players. 

No. 31UP. Special Umpires* 
Shoes. Solid box toe and out- 
side padded tongue. Uppers 
of selected leather, white oak 
leather soles, best base ball cleats. To order only . 




No. 31CP. 

only. 



For Catchers, Otherwise same as No. 31 UP. Special orders 



No. OS. **CIub Special" Sprinting. Carefully selected leather; substan- 
tially constructed. Sprinting style flexible shank. (Pat. Oct. 9, 1917.) 

No. 35. **Amateur Special" Good quality leather, machine sewed. 
High point carefully tempered carbon steel plates, hand rivetea to heels 
and soles. , 

No. 37. •*Junior" Leather shoes, made on regular base ball shoe last. 
Plates hand riveted to heels and soles. Excellent shoes for the money 
leut not guaranteed. 

SPALDING "WORLD SERIES" CATCHERS' 

Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. 

BODY PROTECTORS 

No. 5P. Padded style, not inflated. Patented June 22. 1909; Aucust 
24, 1909. Canvas cover, laced at sides, permitting readjustment of pad- 
ding as desired. Special body strap, 

No. 4P. Padded style, not inflated. Similar to No. 5P, but ctesed at 
sides instead of laced. 

No. XP. Padded style, not inflated. Brown canvas covered. 

No. YP. Youths'. Ribbed and padded style, not inflated. Brown 
canvas covered. 



IraOMPTlTTENTIONEiVENTOl 

ANT COMMUNICItTIONS 

ADDRESSED TO US 



A. G» SPALDING & BROS, 

STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



FOR COMPUTE LIST OF STORa 
$S INSIDE FRONT COVER 
OF THIS ROOJ 



PfUCES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. For 



HOW TO PLAY BASE BALL SERIES 
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 



Every boy who plays base ball is interested in improv- 
ing his game. For nearly a quarter of a century 
Spalding's Athletic Library, in its "How to Play Base 
Ball" group, has been the means of showing how the 
big league players cover their respective positions. No 
one who plays base ball can afford to overlook the 
points that are given in the various books that com- 
prise the series. 

No. 1, Spalding's Official Base Ball Guide. 10 cents. 

No. 202. How to Play Base Ball. 10 cents. 

No. 223. How to Bat. 10 cents. 

No. 230. How to Pitch. 10 cents. 

No. 229. How to Catch. 10 cents. 

No. 224. How to Play the Outfield. 10 cents. 

No. 225. How to Play First Base. 10 cents. 

No. 226. How to Play Second Base. 10 cents. 

No. 227. How to Play Third Base. 10 cents. 

No. 228. How to Play Shortstop. 10 cents. 

No. 232. How to Run Bases. 10 cents. 

No. 231. How to Organize a League; How to Organize 
a Club; How to Manage a Club; How to Cap- 
tain a Team; Technical Terms of Base Ball. 
10 cents. 

No. 350. How to Score. 10 cents. 

No. 219. Ready Reckoner Percentages. 10 cents. 

\o. 59R. Official Base Ball Record. 25 cents. 

No. 75R. Knotty Problems and How to Umpire. 25 centS. 

Those who have read the "knotty problems" in 

this year's Guide will not need to be told of tlieir 

interest and value in settling disputes. In No. 75R, 

edited by Billy Evans, are listed many more, which 

contain novel points that 
will be a surprise to even 
the closest students of the 
rules. Read this book and 
be prepared for any discus- 
sion of plays or decisions 





_£j I G LEAGUE 

Quality" 

signifies BEST in anything. 




The Spalding Ball 
has been the 
Official Ball of the 
National League 
for Forty 'One years. 



Arc you using it ? 



r3M^r-- 




fj^ Official Q^. 



oMDIfVG\ 





A. G. Spalding & Bros, 




NEW YORK 

CHICAGO 

SAN FRANCISCO 



and other principal 

cities of the 

United States 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

III iiiii mil Hill mil mil mil nil nil 



-^ 




005 900 678 2 % 



A separate book covers every Athletic Sport 
and is Official and Standard 



m^m^ 




PARIS 1900 



ST I OU IS. 19 04 "^ Mr J\ JLyJJlINvJ RARIS^gOO 

ATHLETIC GOODS 

ARE THE STANDARD OF THE WORLD 



A. G. Spalding ^ Bros. 



NLW YORK ( 

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PHILADELPHIA 



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DETROI 



SAI^rRA>JClS( 
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CLEVELAND SAL 
COLUMBUS Di 

ATLANTA I 

LOUISVILLE 

LAS MINNEAPOLIS 



ALBANY CLEVELAND SALT LAKE CITY 

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SYRACUSE ATLANTA KANSAS CITY 

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MANCHESTER. ENGLAND PARIS. FRANCE 

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